‘译本’ literally means ‘translated + volume/book’ and refers to a version of a text that has been translated from one language into another. The character 译 (yì) means ‘to translate’, while 本 (běn) originally meant ‘root’ or ‘origin’, but here functions as a measure word for books or written works—similar to how it appears in 课本 (textbook) or 原本 (original version). Together, 译本 emphasizes the result of translation: a complete, published, or finalized rendition of a source text.

This term is commonly used for literary works (e.g., novels, poems), academic texts, legal documents, or film subtitles—but not for informal or partial translations. It carries a formal, published connotation; you wouldn’t call a friend’s quick chat-message translation a 译本. It’s neutral in register and widely used in publishing, education, and libraries. Unlike more general terms like 翻译 (fānyì, ‘translation’ as an act or process), 译本 specifically denotes the *product*—the translated text itself.