Definitions

guì (noun) cupboard; cabinet; wardrobe
(noun) willow tree

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The traditional form of the character, 櫃, is composed of the wood radical (木) on the left, indicating its material, and the component 匱 on the right, which historically suggested the idea of containment or storage. Its primary meaning has consistently been a piece of furniture for storing items, such as a cabinet or cupboard. Over time, its usage extended to refer to commercial furniture like a counter or a shop desk, as seen in terms like 櫃檯. The simplified character 柜 originally represented a different word, denoting the Chinese juniper tree, and was a separate character composed of 木 and 巨; it was later adopted to represent the word for "cabinet" due to its phonetic similarity, thereby creating a homograph with two historical meanings.

Etymology Hide

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 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)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个子很漂亮。

Zhè ge guìzi hěn piàoliang.

This cabinet is very pretty.

里有很多衣服。

Yīguì lǐ yǒu hěn duō yīfu.

There are many clothes in the wardrobe.

放在书房里。

Shūguì fàng zài shūfáng lǐ.

The bookcase is placed in the study.

请把文件放进文件

Qǐng bǎ wénjiàn fàng jìn wénjiàn guì.

Please put the documents into the filing cabinet.

台后面站着一位服务员。

Guìtái hòumiàn zhàn zhe yī wèi fúwùyuán.

There is a clerk standing behind the counter.

的门需要修理一下。

Chúguì de mén xūyào xiūlǐ yīxià.

The door of the cupboard needs to be repaired.

保险的密码只有他知道。

Bǎoxiǎnguì de mìmǎ zhǐyǒu tā zhīdào.

Only he knows the password of the safe.

那个古董是从欧洲进口的。

Nàge gǔdǒng guì shì cóng Ōuzhōu jìnkǒu de.

That antique cabinet is imported from Europe.