About
薛 is a phono-semantic compound: it combines the grass radical 艹 at the top, indicating a plant, with a more complex lower element that provides the pronunciation. This lower element itself contains the component 辛, meaning 'bitter,' which reflects the taste of the original plant. Historically, 薛 referred to a tall marsh grass or wormwood, a bitter herb of wetlands. That botanical meaning has since died out. In modern usage, the character is employed almost solely as a formal Chinese surname, originating from the ancient state of Xue, a vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty.
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Example Sentences Hide
薛老师很友好。
薛明是我的同学。
薛家住在北京。
薛仁贵是唐朝名将。
薛宝钗是《红楼梦》里的人物。
薛教授的研究很有价值。
薛凯琪是一位香港歌手。
薛定谔的猫是一个思想实验。
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