侠

俠

xiá

亻 + 夹

Definitions

xiá knight-errant; brave and chivalrous; hero; heroic

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 夹 represents the sound. Simplified form of 俠.

Semantic: 亻 Phonetic: 夹

About

The traditional character 俠 and its simplified form 侠 are phono-semantic compounds. The left component, 亻 (the "person" radical), signals a human subject, while the right side, 夾 in the traditional script, 夹 in the simplified, provides the sound. The character was coined to describe a distinctive type of person in historical society: someone who operated outside official legal structures to uphold a personal code of justice, honor, and martial virtue. These were heroic figures, often skilled in martial arts, who stepped in to help the weak, resist oppression, and correct social wrongs. Today, 侠 is the standard term for chivalrous swordsmen, vigilantes, and martial arts heroes in literature and popular media.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他是一个大侠。

Tā shì yī gè dàxiá.

He is a great hero.

这位侠客帮助了穷人。

Zhè wèi xiákè bāngzhù le qióngrén.

This knight-errant helped the poor people.

我喜欢看武侠小说。

Wǒ xǐhuān kàn wǔxiá xiǎoshuō.

I like to read martial arts novels.

他很有侠义精神。

Tā hěn yǒu xiáyì jīngshén.

He has a strong sense of chivalry.

那个侠客救了被困的人。

Nà gè xiákè jiù le bèi kùn de rén.

That knight-errant rescued the trapped people.

在现代社会，侠义行为依然值得赞扬。

Zài xiàndài shèhuì, xiáyì xíngwéi yīrán zhídé zànyáng.

In modern society, chivalrous actions are still worthy of praise.

尽管他不是真正的侠客，但他的行为充满了侠气。

Jǐnguǎn tā bù shì zhēnzhèng de xiákè, dàn tā de xíngwéi chōngmǎn le xiáqì.

Although he is not a real knight-errant, his behavior is full of chivalrous spirit.

这部电影中的主角是一位隐姓埋名的侠士，他暗中保护着百姓。

Zhè bù diànyǐng zhōng de zhǔjué shì yī wèi yǐnxìngmáimíng de xiáshì, tā ànzhōng bǎohù zhe bǎixìng.

The protagonist in this film is a knight who hides his identity, secretly protecting the common people.

Related Characters

Component: 亻

Component: 夹

侠