About
The character 耸, traditionally written as 聳, is a phono-semantic compound. The lower radical 耳 (ěr, ear) provides the semantic category, connecting the character's original meaning to auditory perception and drawing attention. The upper component 从 (cóng) supplies the phonetic value. Historically, the character was used to describe the act of alarming or startling someone, often through sound. Over time, its meaning expanded to encompass physical actions and states, such as the gesture of shrugging one's shoulders, or the visual impression of mountains and tall structures towering upward. This evolution reflects a shift from a psychological stimulus related to hearing toward the description of vertical elevation and physical height.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
大楼耸立在路边。
他耸耸肩表示无奈。
那座古老的塔耸立在山顶上。
远处的山峰高耸入云。
他耸耸肩，然后继续工作。
这座纪念碑耸立在广场中央。
面对质疑，他只是耸了耸肩，没有辩解。
这座新建的摩天大楼耸立在城市的天际线上，非常壮观。