About
The character 桅 (wéi) is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic radical 木 (mù), meaning "wood", indicates its material as a wooden structure. The phonetic element 卮 (zhī), which independently refers to an ancient wine vessel, provides its pronunciation. Its primary meaning is a mast, the tall wooden pole on a ship that supports the sails and rigging. Over time, the term expanded from denoting masts on smaller traditional boats to encompassing any ship's mast. It remains central to maritime vocabulary, as seen in common compounds like "桅杆" (wéigān), meaning "mast" or "tall pole", which directly reflects its core definition as a vertical wooden maritime structure.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
船上有高高的桅杆。
桅杆上挂着一面旗。
水手爬上了桅杆。
风暴中，桅杆剧烈摇晃。
桅灯在夜晚照亮海面。
古老的帆船依然竖着桅杆。
维修工人正在检查桅杆的结构。
桅顶的瞭望台提供了广阔的视野。