Definitions

wěi (noun) tail
wěi (noun) end; extremity; remainder
(noun) tail (of horse; insect)

Etymology

Depicts fur () protruding from the posterior of a person () wearing a decorative tail.

About

The character "尾" originates as a pictograph depicting a tail, specifically one attached to a human figure, which later evolved to incorporate the component for "hair" (毛) to emphasize the bushy nature of an animal's tail. Its meaning expanded from the concrete physical appendage to denote the rear or end part of anything, and by extension, to signify something remnant, incomplete, or the concluding segment of an event. Structurally, it belongs to the radical for "corpse" (尸), which in this context represents a human body in a resting or crouched position, combined with the component for "hair" serving both a semantic and phonetic function. The traditional form of the character maintains this exact composition, while the simplified form retains the same structure without alteration, preserving its core etymological and visual logic.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

小猫有一条长巴。

Xiǎo māo yǒu yī tiáo cháng wěi ba.

The kitten has a long tail.

故事的结很感人。

Gùshì de jiéwěi hěn gǎnrén.

The ending of the story is very touching.

随那个陌生人。

Tā wěisuí nàgè mòshēngrén.

He tailed that stranger.

我的名字在名单末

Wǒ de míngzì zài míngdān mòwěi.

My name is at the end of the list.

汽车气污染空气。

Qìchē wěiqì wūrǎn kōngqì.

Car exhaust pollutes the air.

请检查账单的数。

Qǐng jiǎnchá zhàngdān de wěishù.

Please check the last digits of the bill.

我们正在扫工作。

Wǒmen zhèngzài sǎowěi gōngzuò.

We are wrapping up the work.

电影音缓缓消失。

Diànyǐng wěiyīn huǎnhuǎn xiāoshī.

The movie's ending sound slowly faded away.