皑

皚

ái

岂 + 白

Definitions

ái (literary) white as snow

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 白 represents the meaning and 岂 represents the sound. Simplified form of 皚.

Semantic: 白 Phonetic: 岂

About

皑 is a phono-semantic compound: the left component 白 (the "white" radical) conveys the meanings of whiteness, brightness, or purity, while the right component 岂, simplified from 豈 in the traditional form 皚, provides the pronunciation. Despite this broad semantic base, the character is almost exclusively reserved for describing the brilliant, pristine whiteness of snow or frost. It is most often encountered in the reduplicated form 皑皑, an evocative visual adjective that highlights the dazzling, immaculate quality of snow-covered landscapes, and it does not function as a general term for the color white.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

雪山皑皑真美丽。

Xuě shān ái ái zhēn měi lì.

The snow-white mountains are really beautiful.

皑皑白雪盖屋顶。

Ái ái bái xuě gài wū dǐng.

Snow-white snow covers the roof.

田野一片皑皑雪。

Tián yě yī piàn ái ái xuě.

The field is a sheet of snow-white snow.

皑皑雪光映夕阳。

Ái ái xuě guāng yìng xī yáng.

The snow-white snowlight reflects the sunset.

孩子们喜欢皑皑冬雪。

Hái zi men xǐ huān ái ái dōng xuě.

Children like the snow-white winter snow.

皑皑积雪阻碍了交通。

Ái ái jī xuě zǔ ài le jiāo tōng.

The snow-white accumulated snow obstructs traffic.

皑皑山巅在云端若隐若现。

Ái ái shān diān zài yún duān ruò yǐn ruò xiàn.

The snow-white mountain peak looms in and out of the clouds.

尽管皑皑白雪带来了寒冷，但它也净化了空气。

Jǐn guǎn ái ái bái xuě dài lái le hán lěng, dàn tā yě jìng huà le kōng qì.

Although the snow-white snow brings coldness, it also purifies the air.

Related Characters

Component: 岂

Component: 白

皑