熹

xī

喜 + 灬

Frequency#3871

Definitions

xī bright; warm

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 灬 represents the meaning and 喜 represents the sound.

Semantic: 灬 Phonetic: 喜

About

The character 熹 is structured with the phonetic component 喜 positioned above the semantic radical 火, meaning fire, which points to its original association with the action of roasting or warming. Its meaning gradually transitioned from this specific verb to describe the resulting glow or brightness, particularly the soft light of dawn exemplified in the compound 熹微, illustrating a semantic shift from an active process to a qualitative state.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

朱熹是宋代学者。

Zhū Xī shì Sòng dài xué zhě.

Zhu Xi was a scholar of the Song Dynasty.

晨光熹微照大地。

Chén guāng xī wēi zhào dà dì.

The morning light faintly illuminates the earth.

她的笔名是熹儿。

Tā de bǐ míng shì Xī ér.

Her pen name is Xi'er.

熹微的灯光下他在读书。

Xī wēi de dēng guāng xià tā zài dú shū.

Under the dim light, he is reading.

每当熹光初现，我就起床锻炼。

Měi dāng xī guāng chū xiàn, wǒ jiù qǐ chuáng duàn liàn.

Whenever the first light appears, I get up to exercise.

他的笑容如熹光般温暖。

Tā de xiào róng rú xī guāng bān wēn nuǎn.

His smile is as warm as the faint light.

故事发生在熹微的黎明时分。

Gù shì fā shēng zài xī wēi de lí míng shí fēn.

The story takes place at the dim light of dawn.

尽管前路熹微，他仍坚持前行。

Jǐn guǎn qián lù xī wēi, tā réng jiān chí qián xíng.

Although the road ahead is dim, he still perseveres.

Related Characters

Component: 喜

Component: 灬

熹