About
The character "尉" originally signified the pressing of cloth, an etymology reflected in its traditional composition where the component "尸" sits above "二" and "小", with "寸" below, elements that collectively hint at the application of heat and hand pressure. This concrete meaning was abstracted in early Chinese texts to denote military officers, likely through a metaphorical connection between imposing order and applying physical force. The term became entrenched in official titles, such as "太尉" for a senior military commander, and later specialized as the base for specific junior officer ranks like "上尉". While the domestic sense of ironing has become archaic, the character's structure continues to encode this historical semantic journey.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我哥哥是陆军中尉。
尉迟先生是我们的老师。
那位尉官很年轻。
他被晋升为上尉了。
尉官们在会议室开会。
在军队中，尉级军官负责指挥小队。
尉迟家族在历史上很有名。
经过严格训练，他终于成为了特种部队的尉官。