Definitions

è (adjective) distressed; difficult; adverse
è (noun) hardship; adversity

Etymology

Pictograph of a yoke or harness attached to a work animal, such as a horse or ox.

About

The character "厄" etymologically conveys a sense of confinement, structured with "厂" representing a cliff or shelter and "㔾" contributing to its association with constraint. Its core meaning of adversity or hardship has persisted, though it additionally developed a secondary usage denoting a narrow pass or strategic point, indicating a semantic extension from physical to abstract difficulties. The character's form has remained unchanged, with no distinction between traditional and simplified versions.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他最近运连连。

Tā zuìjìn è yùn lián lián.

He has been having continuous bad luck recently.

瓜多尔是一个国家。

È guā duō ěr shì yí ge guó jiā.

Ecuador is a country.

我们要勇敢面对境。

Wǒ men yào yǒng gǎn miàn duì è jìng.

We must bravely face the difficult situation.

这场事故导致运降临。

Zhè chǎng shì gù dǎo zhì è yùn jiàng lín.

This accident caused bad luck to descend.

运中他学会了坚强。

Zài è yùn zhōng tā xué huì le jiān qiáng.

In adversity, he learned to be strong.

尔尼诺现象改变天气模式。

È ěr ní nuò xiàn xiàng gǎi biàn tiān qì mó shì.

The El Niño phenomenon changes weather patterns.

尽管遭遇运,他仍未放弃希望。

Jǐn guǎn zāo yù è yùn, tā réng wèi fàng qì xī wàng.

Despite encountering bad luck, he still did not give up hope.

科学家正在研究尔尼诺对全球气候的长期影响。

Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū è ěr ní nuò duì quán qiú qì hòu de cháng qī yǐng xiǎng.

Scientists are studying the long-term effects of El Niño on the global climate.