Definitions

suddenly

Etymology phono-semantic

water

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 溘 (kè) is an adverb used in classical Chinese to indicate sudden or unexpected action, often appearing in texts describing abrupt changes or sudden death. Structurally, it is a phono-semantic compound: the water radical 氵 (shuǐ) on the left provides the semantic category, suggesting a sudden rush like fluid, while the component 盍 (hé) on the right indicates the pronunciation. Historically, this character has remained primarily within literary and formal contexts, consistently conveying a sense of suddenness or transience in poetic and historical narratives.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern