Definitions

used in place names; see 漾濞[yàng bì]

Etymology phono-semantic

water

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

(pì) is a phono-semantic compound with the water radical on the left and the phonetic component (bí, 'nose') on the right. It is an onomatopoeic character that captures the loud, crashing sound of massive moving water, such as ocean waves striking a coastline or turbulent river rapids. Almost never used alone, it appears in compounds like 澎濞 (péngpì), which classical poets employ to evoke the thunderous roar and overwhelming power of swelling, tempestuous waters.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern