Definitions
(verb)
to entrust; to delegate
(noun)
committee; committee member
Etymology
Depicts grain (禾) in a bent shape (𠃊).
About
The character "委" structurally combines the semantic components "禾" for grain and "女" for woman, with early interpretations pointing to an imagery of bending or drooping, akin to grain bowing under weight or a woman in a submissive posture, thus conveying core ideas of yielding or deferring. From these concrete origins, its meaning gradually extended into abstract domains, acquiring senses of entrusting or appointing, as evident in compounds like "委托" meaning to entrust, while also developing administrative connotations such as in "委员会" for a committee, reflecting a conceptual shift toward delegated responsibility and organized delegation. The persistent notion of bending indirectly influenced derived usages like "委婉" denoting tactful or circumlocutory speech, and despite semantic expansions, the character's graphic composition has remained consistent, preserving a tangible link to its etymological foundations in both form and evolving function.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我委托朋友帮忙。
他是委员会的成员。
她感到非常委屈。
他委婉地拒绝了邀请。
公司委派他去出差。
总统委任了新部长。
这件事委实令人惊讶。
经过委员会慎重讨论，决定委派专家小组调查此事。