About
The character '衔', historically represented in its traditional form as '銜', is structured from the components '金' indicating metal and '行' conveying movement or operation, originally denoting a metal bit placed in a horse's mouth to direct its motion. This concrete referent evolved to encompass the general act of holding any item between the teeth, which then extended metaphorically to signify harboring abstract elements such as intentions or grievances. Subsequently, the character's semantic range widened to include the concept of connecting or linking, applied particularly to official titles or ranks within hierarchical systems, thereby tracing a path from a specific physical object to broader functional and symbolic meanings across its linguistic history.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
小狗衔着一根骨头。
这两段路衔接得很好。
他有一个高级头衔。
鸟儿衔来树枝筑巢。
铁路桥衔接着城市的南北两部分。
他心中衔着深深的怨恨。
船长衔着烟斗，凝视着远方的大海。
这项政策旨在衔接口岸贸易与内陆物流的发展。