Definitions
Etymology
Pictograph of a battle axe having spiked teeth on its blade.
About
戚 originated as a pictograph of a battle axe whose blade featured spiked teeth. This weapon, likely ceremonial or military, is reflected in the character's composition: 戊 (a weapon) combined with 尗 (shū), which acts as a phonetic and visual marker. In its earliest usage, 戚 denoted this axe. Through phonetic borrowing, it later came to mean relatives by marriage, and eventually acquired the sense of sorrow or grief. Though the character's structure still preserves the image of the axe, its modern meanings are entirely products of loan usage and semantic shift, without any direct link to the original pictograph.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我的亲戚来自北京。
我们欢迎亲戚来访。
她有很多亲戚朋友。
亲戚们聚在一起吃饭。
他对亲戚非常友好。
亲戚之间的关系很重要。
他因失去亲人而哀戚。
他的脸上露出戚容。
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