Definitions
About
The character "垂" originates from an early pictograph representing a plant with its branches or flowers hanging downward, a conceptual foundation which directly informs its core meaning of "to hang down" or "to droop". Its structural composition, often analyzed as showing something suspended above soil, consistently reinforces this sense of downward orientation. Over time, this primary physical sense extended into several abstract domains, giving rise to meanings such as "to bequeath" or "hand down", as in a legacy descending through generations, and "to approach" or "be on the verge of", conveying the idea of something impending or coming near from above. This semantic expansion from a concrete depiction of a hanging object to encompass metaphorical notions of transmission and imminence demonstrates the character's adaptive conceptual utility within the language.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
窗帘垂下来了。
他垂直地站着。
垂柳在河边生长。
爷爷喜欢在湖边垂钓。
熟透的果子垂在枝头。
他对那幅画垂涎已久。
在垂暮之年，他写下了回忆录。
尽管身体垂危，他仍坚持完成工作。