出版 (chū bǎn) means 'to publish' — the act of making written or digital content available to the public, such as books, journals, newspapers, or online articles. The character 出 (chū) means 'to go out' or 'to issue', and 版 (bǎn) originally referred to a printing plate or block; together, they literally evoke the idea of 'issuing from the printing plate', reflecting the word’s historical roots in traditional woodblock printing.

This verb is commonly used in formal and professional contexts — for instance, when discussing book production, academic research dissemination, or media releases. It can be used transitively (e.g., 出版一本书) or intransitively (e.g., 这本书已经出版了). While it often implies official or commercial release, it does not specify medium: digital publications (e-books, websites) and physical ones (hardcovers, magazines) both qualify. It’s rarely used for casual, personal sharing like social media posts.