丐

匃/匄
gài

Definitions

gài to beg for alms; beggar
gài variant of 丐[gài]
gài variant of 丐[gài]

Etymology

Depicts the blade of a knife. Similar in origin to 亡 and 方. Based on the original meaning "cut". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

丐 (gài), now meaning "to beg" or "beggar", originally depicted the blade of a knife and shares its origin with 亡 and 方. Its earliest meaning was "to cut". The current sense of begging is a phonetic loan, borrowed purely for its sound with no semantic link to the blade image. Lacking a standard radical-phonetic structure, the character is classified as a modified symbol. Over time, this loaned meaning completely replaced the original, leaving the character solely associated with asking for alms.

Example Sentences Hide

路边有个乞丐。

Lù biān yǒu gè qǐgài.

There is a beggar by the roadside.

那个乞丐很可怜。

Nà gè qǐgài hěn kělián.

That beggar is very pitiful.

乞丐向行人乞讨。

Qǐgài xiàng xíngrén qǐtǎo.

The beggar begs from pedestrians.

每天都有乞丐在这里。

Měi tiān dōu yǒu qǐgài zài zhèlǐ.

Every day there are beggars here.

人们有时会帮助乞丐。

Rénmen yǒushí huì bāngzhù qǐgài.

People sometimes help beggars.

丐帮是小说中的组织。

Gàibāng shì xiǎoshuō zhōng de zǔzhī.

The Beggars' Sect is an organization in novels.

虽然他是乞丐，但很有尊严。

Suīrán tā shì qǐgài, dàn hěn yǒu zūnyán.

Although he is a beggar, he has dignity.

现代社会仍存在乞丐现象。

Xiàndài shèhuì réng cúnzài qǐgài xiànxiàng.

In modern society, the phenomenon of beggars still exists.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

钙 鈣 麫

Component: 丐

钙 鈣 麫

Example Words

乞丐 丐帮