Definitions
(verb)
to reform; to change
(noun)
leather; animal hide
(verb)
to remove; to dismiss
Etymology
Pictograph of animal hide laying flat.
About
The character "革" originated from an early pictographic depiction of an animal hide, which through gradual stylization evolved into its present form. Its primary meaning was the tangible product of processed skin, specifically leather, reflecting its concrete association with material derived from animals. Over centuries, the conceptual process of transforming raw hide into a usable material facilitated a semantic extension, allowing "革" to acquire abstract connotations of alteration or renewal, thus encompassing meanings such as "to change" or "to remove". This expanded usage is observable in classical literature and compounds like "革命", where it denotes transformative action or revolution. Structurally consistent as a standalone radical, it continues to inform characters related to leather or change, mirroring its etymological journey from a material substance to a symbol of metamorphosis.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个包包是皮革做的。
我们需要改革教育制度。
公司致力于技术革新。
工业革命改变了世界。
社会变革需要时间。
他决心革除不良习惯。
经理因失误被革职了。
环保材料的革新促进了可持续发展。