About
The character "奄" structurally combines the elements for "large" and "extension", reflecting its earliest etymological sense of covering or enveloping, which in classical usage extended to meanings of dominion or control over a realm. Over time, its semantic range shifted from these concrete spatial concepts to acquire adverbial functions, notably expressing suddenness or abruptness in literary contexts. Further evolution introduced connotations of faintness or decline, as seen in later compounds where it describes a waning or feeble state, illustrating a transition from physical covering to abstract qualitative and temporal descriptions while retaining its essential graphical composition.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
那只小猫奄奄一息了。
被晒了一天的花显得奄奄的。
病人气息奄奄，情况危急。
他奄忽之间就做出了决定。
昔日强大的帝国已奄奄一息。
消息传来，众人奄然无声。
这片土地古代曾奄有四方。
那个计划在争议中奄然而止。