妃

fēi

女 + 己

Definitions

fēi imperial concubine

Etymology

Depicts a woman (女) and a man (卩) together.

About

妃 originally combines 女 (woman) and 卩 (a kneeling person, representing a man) to depict a couple together, conveying the idea of a wife or spouse. The right element later evolved into 己, which also supplies the pronunciation fēi. In early usage, it referred to a wife, particularly the principal wife of a ruler or nobleman. As imperial hierarchies grew more elaborate, the meaning narrowed to designate high-ranking imperial consorts and the official wives of princes, losing its original application to ordinary spouses.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这位王妃非常美丽。

Zhè wèi wángfēi fēicháng měilì.

This princess is very beautiful.

国王为他的爱妃建造了宫殿。

Guówèi wèi tā de ài fēi jiànzàole gōngdiàn.

The king built a palace for his beloved consort.

故事里有一位善良的皇妃。

Gùshì li yǒu yī wèi shànliáng de huángfēi.

There is a kind imperial consort in the story.

她梦想成为舞台上的香妃。

Tā mèngxiǎng chéngwéi wǔtái shàng de Xiāng fēi.

She dreams of becoming the Fragrant Concubine on stage.

这位贵妃深受皇帝的宠爱。

Zhè wèi guìfēi shēn shòu huángdì de chǒng'ài.

This noble consort was deeply favored by the emperor.

在历史上，那位妃子的命运很悲惨。

Zài lìshǐ shàng, nà wèi fēizi de mìngyùn hěn bēicǎn.

In history, that consort's fate was very tragic.

剧中，妃嫔们为了权力明争暗斗。

Jù zhōng, fēipínmen wèile quánlì míngzhēng-àndòu.

In the drama, the imperial concubines scheme against each other for power.

学者们正在考证这位侧妃的陵墓位置。

Xuézhěmen zhèngzài kǎozhèng zhè wèi cè fēi de língmù wèizhì.

Scholars are researching the location of this secondary consort's tomb.

Related Characters

Component: 女

Component: 己

妃