儡

lěi

亻 + 畾

Definitions

lěi used in 傀儡[kuǐ lěi]

Etymology phono-semantic

person

Semantic: 亻 Phonetic: 畾

About

儡 is a phono-semantic compound composed of the human radical 亻 and the phonetic 畾 (léi). The radical suggests a human-related meaning, while 畾 indicates the pronunciation. The character's most common meaning is 'puppet,' typically seen in the compound 傀儡 (kuǐlěi), formed with 傀, which refers to a wooden figure manipulated by strings. From this literal sense, it developed a figurative use for a person or political entity that is controlled by outside forces and lacks genuine autonomy. A secondary, rarer meaning of 儡 is 'exhausted,' though in modern contexts it predominantly appears in discussions of puppetry and political control.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个傀儡很可爱。

Zhège kuǐlěi hěn kě'ài.

This puppet is very cute.

傀儡戏是一种传统艺术。

Kuǐlěi xì shì yī zhǒng chuántǒng yìshù.

Puppet show is a traditional art form.

那个政府是傀儡政权。

Nàgè zhèngfǔ shì kuǐlěi zhèngquán.

That government is a puppet regime.

他被外国势力操控，成了一个傀儡。

Tā bèi wàiguó shìlì cāokòng, chéngle yī gè kuǐlěi.

He was controlled by foreign forces and became a puppet.

在历史上，有些领导人只是傀儡，没有实权。

Zài lìshǐ shàng, yǒu xiē lǐngdǎo rén zhǐshì kuǐlěi, méiyǒu shíquán.

In history, some leaders were just puppets without real power.

那个国家的皇帝实际上是一个傀儡，真正掌权的是宰相。

Nàgè guójiā de huángdì shíjì shàng shì yī gè kuǐlěi, zhēnzhèng zhǎngquán de shì zǎixiàng.

The emperor of that country is actually a puppet, and the prime minister holds the real power.

她感觉自己像是一个傀儡，无法决定自己的命运。

Tā gǎnjué zìjǐ xiàng shì yī gè kuǐlěi, wúfǎ juédìng zìjǐ de mìngyùn.

She feels like a puppet, unable to decide her own destiny.

尽管他被任命为总裁，但大家都知道他只是董事会手中的傀儡。

Jǐnguǎn tā bèi rènmìng wéi zǒngcái, dàn dàjiā dōu zhīdào tā zhǐshì dǒngshìhuì shǒu zhōng de kuǐlěi.

Although he was appointed as CEO, everyone knows he is just a puppet in the hands of the board of directors.

Related Characters

Component: 亻

Component: 畾

儡