Definitions

lài to bestow, to confer; surname

Etymology phono-semantic

money

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is a formal verb meaning to bestow or grant, historically used for imperial or authoritative rewards. The traditional character is a phono-semantic compound: the lower component (cowrie shell) indicates value, wealth, or currency, reflecting the material nature of a bestowed gift, while the upper component (lái) provides the pronunciation. Throughout its history, it has denoted the act of a superior conferring gifts or honors upon subordinates, appearing mainly in formal, literary, or classical texts. The simplified form replaces with and with , following standard simplification patterns.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern