About
The character "权", now central to notions of power and authority, derives from its traditional form "權", a compound character combining the radical "木" meaning wood with the phonetic and semantic component "雚". Initially referring to a particular variety of tree, the term's meaning shifted early to denote the counterweight of a steelyard balance, an instrument often crafted from wood, thus grounding the character in concepts of measurement, balance, and calibrated judgment. From this concrete sense of a physical tool for weighing, the meaning expanded metaphorically into the abstract domain of provisional or tactical decision-making, eventually crystallizing into its modern primary sense of legitimate power, influence, or right. The contemporary simplified form "权" maintains the wooden association through the retained "木" radical while substituting the complex "雚" with the graphically simpler component "又", a modification that reduced stroke count but left the fundamental conceptual anchor intact, mirroring the character's historical journey from a specific material object to a broad societal principle.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我有投票权。
权力必须受到监督。
每个人都享有平等的权利。
我们需要权衡利弊。
他的权威不容挑战。
公司授予他管理权限。
在民主国家，人民拥有主权。
法律保障公民的合法权益。