Definitions
(noun)
jade tablet (ancient ceremonial symbol of rank)
Etymology
Depicts a ceremonial jade tablet pointed at the top.
About
The character "圭" is structurally composed of two instances of the character for earth, "土", stacked one above the other, a configuration that visually suggests an object formed from layered earth or clay. Its earliest core meaning was a type of jade ceremonial tablet, often oblong with a pointed top, which was used as a ritual object and a symbol of rank or authority in ancient court contexts. From this concrete object, the term later extended to more abstract and technical applications, including becoming a standard unit of length measurement and, in modern scientific usage, forming part of the compound "硅" for the element silicon. The character's traditional form remains as this double-earth construction and has not undergone simplification.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他的行为合乎道德圭臬。
古代用圭表来测量日影。
南美洲有一个国家叫圭亚那。
他的性格毫无圭角，非常圆滑。
这块玉被雕刻成圭璧的形状。
这种材料的成分含有硅元素。
他一向以诚信为立身之圭臬。
古代圭田的划分有着严格的规定。