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 and . Based on the original meaning "cut". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

The character "丐", representing the act of begging or a beggar, derives from an early conceptual depiction of supplication, with its form historically suggesting a figure in need making an entreaty. Its traditional structure, which has been preserved without significant alteration, integrates graphical elements that abstractly convey deprivation and appeal, though these components have been refined into the character's now-minimalist construction. While the core semantic association with mendicancy has remained constant, the character's usage gradually broadened from exclusively indicating the action of begging to also denoting the person who begs, a semantic extension that solidified during the classical era without necessitating changes to its written form.

Example Sentences Hide

路边有个乞

Lù biān yǒu gè qǐgài.

There is a beggar by the roadside.

那个乞很可怜。

Nà gè qǐgài hěn kělián.

That beggar is very pitiful.

向行人乞讨。

Qǐgài xiàng xíngrén qǐtǎo.

The beggar begs from pedestrians.

每天都有乞在这里。

Měi tiān dōu yǒu qǐgài zài zhèlǐ.

Every day there are beggars here.

人们有时会帮助乞

Rénmen yǒushí huì bāngzhù qǐgài.

People sometimes help beggars.

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,但很有尊严。

Suīrán tā shì qǐgài, dàn hěn yǒu zūnyán.

Although he is a beggar, he has dignity.

现代社会仍存在乞现象。

Xiàndài shèhuì réng cúnzài qǐgài xiànxiàng.

In modern society, the phenomenon of beggars still exists.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丐

Components

Example Words