About
The character "宰" presents a semantic evolution from a concrete, grim function to one of abstract authority. Its structure, composed of the roof radical "宀" over the component "辛", originally depicted an implement or tool used within a household, leading to its early meanings of "slave" or "butcher", one who wielded a blade under the master's roof. This domestic context provided the foundation for its conceptual shift, as the one who managed the household's most severe duties naturally came to signify control and stewardship. Consequently, the meaning expanded from the physical act of slaughter to the administrative act of governance, giving rise to its enduring significations of "to rule" or "to oversee", and by extension, titles such as "prime minister". The character thus encapsulates a transition from a base, servile role to one of high office, with its modern usage retaining the sense of presiding over affairs, both in compounds and as a verb.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他宰了一只羊。
今天屠宰场很忙。
宰相必须聪明能干。
为了庆祝节日，他们宰了一头猪。
那个屠夫熟练地宰了牛。
这家店经常宰客，别去。
虽然他是宰相，但生活很简朴。
在古老仪式中，宰牲行为十分庄严。