<p>I think "Chinese book" usually means a book written in Chinese, and the appropriate  transliteration would be "中文书籍". </p>

<p>In Chinese, "汉语书" is mostly interpreted as books for learning Chinese, and "Chinese textbook" may be a better transliteration for that. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-28T07:15:37.463Z
2018-04-28T07:15:37.463Z
Steve Yang
<p>In China a _____ is a :</p>

<p>____ 语文书：Chinese book for Chinese kids to learn Chinese reading and writing<br>
____ 数学书: maths book<br>
____ 英语书：book for Chinese kids to learn English  </p>

<p>一本汉语书 = 一本中文书</p>

<p>'汉语书'更多用于学习汉语的书，<br>
'Chinese book' is mainly used to refer to  a book for studying Chinese, (language) </p>

<p>但是根据'汉语书'的字面意思，<br>
but the literal meaning of 'Chinese book'</p>

<p>可以理解为'汉字书籍'，<br>
can be understood as 'Chinese character book'</p>

<p>也就是“book written in Chinese”.<br>
i.e. “book written in Chinese”.</p>

<p>中文书则更多用于“book written in Chinese”.</p>

<p>As you so rightly said, the context will reveal all!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-28T10:06:19.150Z
2018-04-28T10:06:19.150Z
Pedroski
<p>In English, a <em>Chinese book</em> could mean either:</p>

<ol>
<li>a book for learning Chinese, or</li>
<li>a book which is in Chinese,</li>
</ol>

<p>but (without additional context) we'd ordinarily consider the former interpretation as more likely.  I wonder if it's the same in Chinese.  A Baidu Image search for <a href="http://image.baidu.com/search/index?tn=baiduimage&amp;word=%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E4%B9%A6" rel="nofollow noreferrer">汉语书</a> (Hànyǔ shū) suggests it only means "a book for learning Chinese".</p>

<p><strong>Question</strong>: Does 汉语书 only mean "a book for learning Chinese", or can it also mean "a book in Chinese"?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-28T06:54:27.727Z
It can mean both based on the context.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-28T07:35:36.860Z
I think 语 and 文 are different. To me, 汉语书/英语书 are books for learning Chinese/English, while 中文书/英文书 are books written in Chinese/English.
Jason Swift
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-28T08:30:56.230Z
Use 汉语教材 or 中文教材 for **a book for learning Chinese**, use 中文版 or 中文书籍 for **a book in Chinese**.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-04T15:13:53.250Z
中文书 books written in Chinese, 汉语书 books for Chinese learning usually
sfy
<meaning><meaning-in-context>
Does 汉语书 (Hànyǔ shū) "Chinese book" only mean "a book for learning Chinese", or can it also mean "a book in Chinese"?
# Does 汉语书 (Hànyǔ shū) "Chinese book" only mean "a book for learning Chinese", or can it also mean "a book in Chinese"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-28)

In English, a *Chinese book* could mean either:

1. a book for learning Chinese, or
2. a book which is in Chinese,

but (without additional context) we'd ordinarily consider the former interpretation as more likely. I wonder if it's the same in Chinese. A Baidu Image search for [汉语书](http://image.baidu.com/search/index?tn=baiduimage&word=%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E4%B9%A6) (Hànyǔ shū) suggests it only means "a book for learning Chinese".

**Question**: Does 汉语书 only mean "a book for learning Chinese", or can it also mean "a book in Chinese"?

**Tags:** meaning, meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It can mean both based on the context.  
> **username_2**: I think 语 and 文 are different. To me, 汉语书/英语书 are books for learning Chinese/English, while 中文书/英文书 are books written in Chinese/English.  
> **username_3**: Use 汉语教材 or 中文教材 for **a book for learning Chinese**, use 中文版 or 中文书籍 for **a book in Chinese**.  
> **username_4**: 中文书 books written in Chinese, 汉语书 books for Chinese learning usually  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-04-28. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

In China a \_\_\_\_\_ is a :

\_\_\_\_ 语文书：Chinese book for Chinese kids to learn Chinese reading and writing  
\_\_\_\_ 数学书: maths book  
\_\_\_\_ 英语书：book for Chinese kids to learn English

一本汉语书 = 一本中文书

'汉语书'更多用于学习汉语的书，  
'Chinese book' is mainly used to refer to a book for studying Chinese, (language)

但是根据'汉语书'的字面意思，  
but the literal meaning of 'Chinese book'

可以理解为'汉字书籍'，  
can be understood as 'Chinese character book'

也就是“book written in Chinese”.  
i.e. “book written in Chinese”.

中文书则更多用于“book written in Chinese”.

As you so rightly said, the context will reveal all!


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-04-28. Score: 0

I think "Chinese book" usually means a book written in Chinese, and the appropriate transliteration would be "中文书籍".

In Chinese, "汉语书" is mostly interpreted as books for learning Chinese, and "Chinese textbook" may be a better transliteration for that.


---

