(qiàn) - Qian — wooden tablet for writing in ancient & block for printing

Tone 4

qiàn | 12 strokes | radical:

· qiàn

Qian — wooden tablet for writing in ancient China;

block for printing;

book;

edition.

Qian — wooden tablet for writing in ancientblock for printingbook

Usage highlights

wooden writing tabletold printed editionSongYuanblock for printingrare edition

Synonyms

  • printing block
  • wooden writing tablet

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Ancient scribes wrote on wooden tablets (木椠).
  • He collected old printed editions (古椠).
  • This is a Song-dynasty block-printed book (宋椠).

Collocations

  • wooden writing tablet(木椠)
  • old printed edition(古椠)
  • Song-dynasty edition(宋椠)
  • Yuan-dynasty edition(元椠)
  • block for printing(刻椠)
  • rare edition(秘椠)

Idioms

  • Carve at the door and hold the tablet(刻椠持门)
  • Carve the tablet and pare the pencil(刻椠削铅)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to wooden tablets used for writing before the invention of paper.
  • Later extended to mean printing blocks and printed books, especially in bibliographic contexts.
  • Used in terms like 宋椠 (Song edition) to denote valuable early printed books.

FAQ