Definitions

xiū (verb) to repair; to fix
xiū (verb) to cultivate; to study
xiū (verb) to build; to construct
xiū (verb) to decorate; to embellish

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 修 (xiū) is a phono-semantic compound with the 彡 (shān) radical on the right, meaning hair or decorative patterns, and the phonetic component 攸 (yōu) on the left. Its original sense was to sweep, brush, or adorn something to make it neat and visually appealing. From this idea of grooming and decoration, the meaning extended to cover the repair or mending of objects, the building or construction of structures, the cultivation of moral character, the academic pursuit of study, and the description of something long and slender.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他在理电脑。

Tā zài xiūlǐ diànnǎo.

He is repairing the computer.

我需要改作业。

Wǒ xūyào xiūgǎi zuòyè.

I need to revise my homework.

学校正在建新图书馆。

Xuéxiào zhèngzài xiūjiàn xīn túshūguǎn.

The school is building a new library.

艺术家复了这幅古画。

Yìshùjiā xiūfù le zhè fú gǔhuà.

The artist restored this ancient painting.

养身心很重要。

Xiūyǎng shēnxīn hěn zhòngyào.

Cultivating mind and body is important.

他打算出国学一年。

Tā dǎsuàn chūguó xiūxué yī nián.

He plans to study abroad for one year.

理厂师傅技术很好。

Xiūlǐchǎng shīfu jìshù hěn hǎo.

The mechanic at the repair shop has great skills.

经过炼,他变得更强了。

Jīngguò xiūliàn, tā biàn de gèng qiáng le.

After cultivation, he became stronger.