About
The character 英, formed by the grass radical 艹 positioned above the phonetic element 央, initially referred specifically to the blossom or flowering part of a plant, highlighting its visual prominence and refined essence. This foundational association with excellence and visibility facilitated a semantic expansion whereby 英 came to describe anything of outstanding quality or brilliance, such as in the term 英才 denoting a person of notable talent. Its meaning continued to broaden over time to encapsulate the ideal of heroic distinction, as evidenced in the compound 英雄 for a hero, conveying elevated virtue and prowess. Later historical developments saw the character employed in transliterations for foreign names, most notably in 英国 for England, where its phonetic utility was coupled with its enduring connotations of eminence.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我喜欢英语。
他来自英国。
英雄很勇敢。
我们每天学习英语。
英国的首都是伦敦。
那位英雄救了很多人。
我的英语老师非常友好。
学习英语对国际交流很重要。