About
The character "袖", meaning sleeve, is constructed from the semantic component "衣" (clothing) combined with the phonetic component "由", which also suggests a passage or a means through which something passes, aptly describing the sleeve's function. Its traditional form maintains this same logical composition. While its primary meaning has consistently referred to the part of a garment that covers the arm, this concrete object naturally gave rise to figurative uses, such as the idea of concealing something within a sleeve or, by extension, the phrase "to have something up one's sleeve", implying a hidden skill or resource. Thus, from its literal anatomical reference on a garment, the character's semantic field broadened to encompass associated actions and metaphorical concepts of capacity and concealment.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我的袖子很干净。
她卷起了袖子。
这件衣服的袖口很紧。
他袖子上有一块污渍。
我喜欢穿短袖衬衫。
她送给我一个袖珍相机。
由于袖子太长，她不得不把它剪短。
设计师在袖口处添加了精致的刺绣。