挥

揮

huī

军 + 扌

HSK 2.0Level 5

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

huī (verb) to wave; to brandish

huī (verb) to command; to conduct

huī (verb) to scatter; to disperse

Etymology

Simplified form of 揮. Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 军 represents the sound.

About

挥 (huī) is the simplified form of 揮, a phono-semantic compound. The left-side radical 扌 (shǒu, 'hand') indicates a manual action, while the phonetic component 军 (jūn, 'army'), corresponding to 軍 in the traditional form, gives the sound. Originally, it meant to wave, brandish, or shake an object, especially a command flag or weapon wielded by military leaders to direct troops. From this came extended meanings of scattering, dispersing, or wiping away liquids like sweat and tears, and by extension, commanding or directing operations more broadly.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Western Zhou (1045-771 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他挥手向我告别。

Tā huīshǒu xiàng wǒ gàobié。

He waved goodbye to me.

孩子们高兴地挥舞着气球。

Háizimen gāoxìng de huīwǔ zhe qìqiú。

The children happily waved balloons.

他在空中胡乱地挥了挥拳头。

Tā zài kōngzhōng húluàn de huī le huī quántou。

He randomly waved his fist in the air.

不要随意挥霍父母的钱。

Bùyào suíyì huīhuò fùmǔ de qián。

Don't squander your parents' money casually.

教练正在指挥队员们训练。

Jiàoliàn zhèngzài zhǐhuī duìyuánmen xùnliàn。

The coach is directing the team members in training.

他充分发挥了自己的艺术才华。

Tā chōngfèn fāhuī le zìjǐ de yìshù cáihuá。

He fully utilized his artistic talent.

这幅画挥洒自如，体现了大师风范。

Zhè fú huà huīsǎ zìrú, tǐxiàn le dàshī fēngfàn。

This painting is executed with a free and effortless style, embodying the manner of a master。

他挥毫泼墨，顷刻间一幅山水画跃然纸上。

Tā huīháo pōmò， qǐngkè jiān yī fú shānshuǐhuà yuèrán zhǐ shàng。

Wielding his brush and splashing ink, a landscape painting appeared on the paper in an instant.

Related Characters

Component: 军

Component: 扌

挥