羲

xī

③ + 丂 + 禾 + 𦍌

Definitions

xī same as Fuxi 伏羲[fú xī], a mythical emperor; surname Xi

Etymology

Depicts a weapon (我) slaughtering a pig for the purpose of sacrificing an animal for offering. The 我 component was later reanalyzed into phonetic component 義 and the component depicting the slaughtered pig was later reanalyzed as meaning component 兮. Based on the original meaning "sacrificial slaughter", now written as 犧. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

羲 originated as a depiction of a weapon (我) slaughtering a pig, representing sacrificial offering, a meaning now written as 犧. Over time, the components were reanalyzed: the weapon element shifted to the phonetic component 義, and the pig element was reinterpreted as 兮, a meaning component associated with breath or a sigh. Though traditionally explained as phono-semantic (義 phonetic, 兮 semantic), the character's original sense is obsolete. Today, 羲 functions as a phonetic loan, used almost exclusively as a proper noun, most notably in the name of the mythical ruler Fuxi (伏羲) and as a surname.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

伏羲是中国古代的神话人物。

Fú Xī shì Zhōngguó gǔdài de shénhuà rénwù.

Fu Xi is a mythological figure from ancient China.

王羲之的书法非常著名。

Wáng Xīzhī de shūfǎ fēicháng zhùmíng.

Wang Xizhi's calligraphy is very famous.

他的名字里有一个羲字。

Tā de míngzì lǐ yǒu yīgè xī zì.

His name contains the character Xi.

羲和是古代传说中的太阳神。

Xīhé shì gǔdài chuánshuō zhōng de tàiyáng shén.

Xihe is the sun god in ancient legends.

伏羲和女娲创造了人类。

Fú Xī hé Nǚwā chuàngzàole rénlèi.

Fu Xi and Nuwa created humanity.

王羲之的《兰亭序》被誉为天下第一行书。

Wáng Xīzhī de 《Lántíng Xù》 bèi yù wéi tiānxià dì yī xíngshū.

Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion" is hailed as the best running script in the world.

在古代文化中，伏羲被视为人文始祖。

Zài gǔdài wénhuà zhōng, Fú Xī bèi shì wéi rénwén shǐzǔ.

In ancient culture, Fu Xi is regarded as the ancestor of humanity.

研究伏羲的神话有助于理解中华文明的起源。

Yánjiū Fú Xī de shénhuà yǒu zhù yú lǐjiě Zhōnghuá wénmíng de qǐyuán.

Studying the myths of Fu Xi helps in understanding the origins of Chinese civilization.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: ③

Component: 丂

Component: 禾

Component: 𦍌

羲