Definitions

pīng to trust to; send a message

Etymology

A trusted  person ;   also provides the pronunciation

About

is a phono-semantic compound that pairs the human radical with , a component meaning "trusted" that also supplies the pronunciation. Historically, it denoted a solitary, wandering, or unsupported state, most famously in the binome 伶俜 (língpīng), describing someone isolated and alone. In classical literature, the meaning extended subtly to suggest a delicate, elegant figure seen in solitude, with the human radical grounding both the physical and conceptual condition.

Etymology Hide

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