The Kanji: 版 (Han)
The kanji 版 means "edition," "printing," or "version." It combines 片 (piece of wood) with 反 (reverse), originally depicting wooden printing blocks. This character represents published versions and printing processes.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 版 (han) - Edition
この本は初版だ。
"This book is a first edition."
2. 出版 (shuppan) - Publication
新しい雑誌を出版する。
"Publish a new magazine."
3. 版権 (hanken) - Copyright
版権を所有する。
"Own the copyright."
4. 改版 (kaihan) - Revised edition
教科書の改版を行う。
"Produce a revised textbook edition."
In summary, 版 describes publishing - from specific editions (版, 改版) and the act of publishing (出版) to legal rights (版権). It's fundamental to Japan's publishing industry vocabulary.