About
颃 is a phono-semantic compound: its phonetic element is 亢, and its semantic component is 頁, meaning 'head' or 'page', which simplifies to 页 in the modern character (traditional form 頏). The character originally denoted a bird flying downward through the air. In contemporary usage, it is almost always found in the compound 颉颃, which describes birds fluttering up and down together in flight. This compound subsequently took on a metaphorical sense, referring to two rivals competing or being evenly matched in strength and status.
Etymology Hide
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.