Definitions
(noun,adjective)
Asia; Asian
(adjective)
second; inferior; sub-
Etymology
Simplified form of 亞. Depicts a wooden structure where coffins are placed. Based on the original meaning "tomb". The current meaning "Asia" is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "亚" originally depicted a ritual altar or platform with a distinct, often cross-shaped, architectural plan, a form which is still perceptible in its traditional counterpart "亞". This structural representation of a sacred space provided the basis for its early semantic value, which later shifted away from the physical object to denote a position of being secondary or subordinate, as an altar is a raised platform lower than the primary ritual focus. This conceptual meaning of "inferior" or "second" became entrenched and is evident in its use within compounds to indicate things that are sub-standard or ranked below another, such as in "亚军" for runner-up. A significant semantic expansion occurred much later when the character was adopted phonetically to transcribe foreign terms, most notably "Asia", for which it now serves as the standard abbreviation, adding a major geographic designation to its lexical functions while its original meanings persist in specific contexts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他在亚洲出生。
她在比赛中获得亚军。
澳大利亚位于南半球。
哥哥获得了全校亚军。
亚太地区经济很活跃。
我们班在运动会上得了亚军。
这个城市属于亚热带气候。
亚洲文化具有极大的多样性。