About
赅, written 賅 in traditional script, is a phono-semantic compound with the radical 贝 (貝) on the left, which depicts a cowrie shell once used as currency and thus connects the character to value, accumulation, or material wealth. The right-side component 亥 indicates the pronunciation "gāi". Originally associated with accumulating or preparing valuable resources, the meaning shifted to the abstract sense of comprehensiveness or completeness, encompassing everything within a scope. It is most commonly encountered in the literary idiom 言简意赅, which praises communication that is extremely concise yet thoroughly conveys all intended meaning, underscoring the character's link to completeness and inclusion.
Etymology Hide
Example Words
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.