Definitions

jiē Chinese pistachio tree (Pistacia chinensis)
kǎi model; pattern; regular script (calligraphic style)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

About

The character 楷 is a phono-semantic compound with the semantic radical 木 (wood or tree) on the left and the phonetic component 皆 on the right. It originally denoted a straight-growing tree whose sturdy branches served as a physical template or measuring rod in woodworking. From this concrete use, the meaning abstracted to signify a model, standard, or exemplary pattern for emulation. It also became the established term for regular script in Chinese calligraphy, the squared, standardized, and highly legible form of character writing.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

书很工整。

Kǎishū hěn gōngzhěng.

Regular script is very neat.

他在练书。

Tā zài liàn kǎishū.

He is practicing regular script.

书是汉字字体。

Kǎishū shì hànzì zìtǐ.

Regular script is a Chinese character font.

老师教我们书。

Lǎoshī jiāo wǒmen kǎishū.

The teacher teaches us regular script.

他的书写得很好。

Tā de kǎishū xiě de hěn hǎo.

His regular script is written very well.

我们应该学习模。

Wǒmen yīnggāi xuéxí kǎimó.

We should learn from models.

这位科学家是大家的模。

Zhè wèi kēxuéjiā shì dàjiā de kǎimó.

This scientist is a model for everyone.

体在印刷中常用。

Kǎitǐ zài yìnshuā zhōng chángyòng.

The regular script font is commonly used in printing.