‘档案’ (dàng àn) literally combines ‘档’ (dàng), meaning ‘file’ or ‘record’, and ‘案’ (àn), meaning ‘case’ or ‘document’—together forming a compound noun that refers to official, organized records kept for reference or legal purposes. It commonly denotes physical or digital collections maintained by institutions like government offices, schools, hospitals, or companies.

In daily usage, ‘档案’ implies formal, long-term documentation—not casual notes or personal memos. You’ll encounter it in contexts such as personnel files (人事档案), academic transcripts (学籍档案), or historical archives (历史档案). The word carries a sense of authority and permanence: once something enters the ‘档案’, it’s officially documented and often difficult to alter. It’s also used metaphorically—for example, ‘进入档案’ means ‘to become part of official history’—but this is less common in everyday speech.