图书馆

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 图书馆 (túshūguǎn) for "library" is a compound of three characters: 图 (tú), 书 (shū), and 馆 (guǎn). Each character has its own meaning and history, and together they form a meaningful compound word.The character 图 (tú) originally meant "map" or "diagram," but over time it came to be used more broadly to refer to any kind of image or graphic representation. The character 书 (shū) originally meant "bamboo slips," which were the traditional writing material in ancient China. Later, it came to be used more generally to refer to books and other written works. The character 馆 (guǎn) originally meant "official building" or "government office," but over time it came to be used more broadly to refer to any kind of public building or institution.When these three characters are combined to form the compound word 图书馆 (túshūguǎn), the meaning is "a place where books and other written works are collected and stored for use by the public." This is a fitting name for a library, as it accurately describes its function and purpose.