Definitions
old variant of 軟|软[ruǎn]
Etymology
About
The character 耎 combines the top component 而, historically associated with facial hair or softness, with the bottom component 大, representing size or a person. It originated as a graphical representation of softness, weakness, pliability, or a lack of structural integrity, serving as the phonetic and semantic root for these concepts. While once an independent character meaning "soft", its primary role in modern usage is as a component within 軟, where the addition of the vehicle radical emphasizes a lack of rigidity. The character's core meaning consistently describes a physical state without hardness, applicable to material properties as well as metaphorical descriptions of yielding temperaments or physical frailty.
Etymology Hide
