偎

wēi
亻 + 畏

Definitions

wēi to cuddle

Etymology

To cling to someone 亻 in fear 畏; 畏 also provides the pronunciation

About

The character 偎 is a phono-semantic compound: the left-side component 亻 indicates a person, while the right-side 畏 (fear) provides the sound and also suggests the meaning of clinging in fear. Its primary meaning is to snuggle or cuddle closely against someone, conveying intimate physical contact for comfort, warmth, or affection. This sense of seeking closeness can be seen in the underlying idea of a frightened person clinging to another for safety. In contemporary use, 偎 often describes tender physical interactions like a child leaning against a parent or small animals huddling together, and appears in terms such as 偎依 (snuggle) or 偎抱 (embrace), focusing on touch and proximity rather than emotional distress.

Example Sentences Hide

小猫偎在我身边。

Xiǎo māo wēi zài wǒ shēn biān.

The kitten snuggles beside me.

孩子偎依着母亲入睡。

Háizi wēi yī zhe mǔqin rù shuì.

The child snuggles up to the mother and falls asleep.

在寒冷的夜晚，他们偎在一起取暖。

Zài hánlěng de yèwǎn, tāmen wēi zài yīqǐ qǔ nuǎn.

On cold nights, they snuggle together to keep warm.

她偎傍着丈夫，看着夕阳。

Tā wēi bàng zhe zhàngfu, kàn zhe xīyáng.

She leans close to her husband, watching the sunset.

小狗偎在主人的脚边，显得很安心。

Xiǎo gǒu wēi zài zhǔrén de jiǎo biān, xiǎn de hěn ān xīn.

The puppy snuggles at the owner's feet, looking very secure.

尽管外面风雨交加，偎在炉火旁让我们感到舒适。

Jǐnguǎn wàimiàn fēngyǔ jiāojiā, wēi zài lúhuǒ páng ràng wǒmen gǎndào shūshì.

Although it's stormy outside, snuggling by the fireplace makes us feel comfortable.

老人偎着旧照片，回忆起年轻时的时光。

Lǎorén wēi zhe jiù zhàopiàn, huíyì qǐ niánqīng shí de shíguāng.

The old man snuggles up to the old photo, recalling the time when he was young.

在异国他乡，她偎着故乡的纪念品，以慰思乡之情。

Zài yìguó tāxiāng, tā wēi zhe gùxiāng de jìniànpǐn, yǐ wèi sīxiāng zhī qíng.

In a foreign land, she snuggles up to souvenirs from her hometown to comfort her homesickness.

Related Characters

Component: 亻

他 们 你 作 但 使 体 什 代 信 化 位 任 何

Component: 畏

喂 猥 煨 隈 餵 椳 渨

Example Words

依偎