编辑

biānjí · HSK 5

edit

📝 编 = weave/compile + 辑 = gather; together = edit/compile

编 originally meant binding bamboo slips together with cord, hence compile. 辑 means to gather or collect. Combined, 编辑 covers editing text and compiling collected material — the editor binds and gathers.

编 — silk radical 纟 + flat 扁
A semantic-phonetic compound. The silk radical 纟 signals the original meaning: weaving or plaiting cords and threads. The right side 扁 (biǎn) supplies the sound. From 'to weave/plait' the meaning extended to arranging things in order, hence 'to compile, edit, or organize.'

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