Meaning of 档案
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- file; record; archive
How to use 档案
档案 usually means an official file or record kept by an organization, such as a school, employer, or government office. In China it often refers to a person's personal dossier that follows them through school and work. Example: 公司保存了每个员工的档案。(Gōngsī bǎocúnle měi gè yuángōng de dàng'àn.) The company keeps a file on every employee.
Both 档 (dàng) and 案 (àn) have the wood radical 木, so picture a wooden filing cabinet. 档 is a shelf or compartment, and 案 is a case on the desk, so 档案 is the case file you store on the shelf.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 档案 (dàng'àn, file) with 答案 (dá'àn, answer) because they share 案 and sound similar. Also remember 档 is fourth tone dàng, not third tone dǎng like 挡 (dǎng, to block), which has the hand radical instead of wood.
档案 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
档 dàng · shelves · 10 strokes
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案 àn · file · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 档案.
| 答案 | dá'àn | answer; solution |
| 方案 | fāng'àn | plan; program (for action etc) |
| 图案 | tú'àn | design; pattern |
| 搭档 | dādàng | to cooperate; partner |
| 高档 | gāodàng | superior quality; high grade |
| 案件 | ànjiàn | case; instance |
| 破案 | pò'àn | to solve a criminal case |
| 草案 | cǎo'àn | draft (legislation, proposal etc) |
| 档次 | dàngcì | grade; class |
| 个案 | gè'àn | individual case; special case |
| 案子 | ànzi | long table; counter; (coll.) case (criminal, medical etc); matter; project; job |
| 谋杀案 | móushā'àn | murder case |
Questions about 档案
What does 档案 mean?
档案 (dàng'àn) means "file; record; archive" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 档案?
档案 is made of 2 characters: 档 (10 strokes), 案 (10 strokes). That is 20 strokes in total.
Is 档案 an HSK word?
Yes. 档案 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 档案 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 档案 is written 檔案.
Can 档案 mean a computer file?
In everyday speech a computer file is usually 文件 (wénjiàn), especially in mainland China. 档案 is used for computer files more in Taiwan, while in the mainland it mostly means official records or archives.
What does 个人档案 mean?
个人档案 (gèrén dàng'àn) is a personal file or dossier. In mainland China it is an official record of a person's education, work history, and evaluations, kept by schools or employers and transferred when the person moves on.