About
The character 荏 is a phono-semantic compound with the grass radical 艹 (cǎo) on top, indicating its connection to plants and vegetation. The lower part, 任 (rèn), provides the phonetic component for its pronunciation. Originally, 荏 was a botanical term for the perilla plant or certain large beans. Its meaning later extended to describe softness, weakness, or pliancy, often referring to a lack of firmness in character or physique. It is also well-known from the idiom 荏苒 (rěn rǎn), which poetically captures the quiet, steady passage of time.
Etymology Hide
