候

hòu

ユ + 丨 + 亻 + 矢

Definitions

hòu (verb) to wait; to watch

hòu (verb) to inquire after

hòu (noun) season; climate

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 矦 represents the sound.

Semantic: 亻 Phonetic: 矦

About

候 (hòu) is a phono-semantic compound combining the person radical 亻 with the phonetic component 矦 (a character resembling 侯 with an extra vertical stroke). Its original meaning was 'to watch' or 'to scout from a distance', which explains the person radical. This meaning broadened to include awaiting and inquiring after someone's well-being. The character also came to denote points in time, seasons, and weather conditions, reflecting a shift from the act of watching for an event to the time when it occurs.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请稍候一会儿。

Qǐng shāo hòu yīhuìr.

Please wait a moment.

时候不早了，我们走吧。

Shíhou bù zǎo le, wǒmen zǒu ba.

It's getting late, let's go.

这里的气候很好。

Zhèlǐ de qìhòu hěn hǎo.

The climate here is very good.

他在等候公共汽车。

Tā zài děnghòu gōnggòng qìchē.

He is waiting for the bus.

他是候选人之一。

Tā shì hòuxuǎn rén zhī yī.

He is one of the candidates.

请耐心等候通知。

Qǐng nàixīn děnghòu tōngzhī.

Please wait patiently for the notification.

气候的变化影响全球。

Qìhòu de biànhuà yǐngxiǎng quánqiú.

Climate change affects the whole world.

候选人正在准备竞选演讲。

Hòuxuǎn rén zhèngzài zhǔnbèi jìngxuǎn yǎnjiǎng.

The candidate is preparing for the campaign speech.

Related Characters

Component: ユ

Component: 丨

Component: 亻

Component: 矢

候