Definitions
frivolous; unsteady; delay
Etymology
About
The character 佻 is structured with the person radical 亻 alongside the component 兆, which serves as a phonetic indicator. Etymologically, this combination implies a characteristic pertaining to human behavior, with early usage in classical texts employing it to denote lightness or lack of substance in conduct. Over centuries, its semantic range narrowed to specifically convey frivolity or flippancy, while earlier meanings such as to steal or to act with haste gradually diminished. The character's composition has always relied on these two functional elements.
Etymology Hide
