剧本
jùběn · HSK 5
script
📖 剧本 = 剧 (drama) + 本 (book) — the drama-book, i.e. the script
剧 means drama or play; 本 means book or root volume. Together 剧本 is literally the drama-book — the written script of a play, film, or show. Think of 本 as the bound volume that holds the 剧.
剧 — 豦 (tiger+pig) + 刂 knife radical
Originally written 劇, a phono-semantic compound: 豦 (jù, a fierce beast) gives the sound, while 刂 (knife) suggests intensity or cutting action. The original meaning was 'severe' or 'intense,' later extended to 'drama/play' since theatrical performances were dramatic and intense. 剧 is the simplified form.
本 — tree 木 + mark at base
本 is a pictograph of a tree (木) with a stroke at its base, marking the roots. From this 'root' meaning it extended to 'origin,' 'source,' and 'foundation.' In modern usage it also serves as a measure word for bound objects like books.