崔

cuī

山 + 隹

Definitions

cuī (adjective) high; precipitous

Cuī (noun) high mountain

Etymology

A bird 隹 faced with a mountain 山

About

崔 is a phono-semantic compound: the mountain radical 山 sits atop the component 隹, a short-tailed bird. The mountain element sets the semantic category of high, rocky terrain, while 隹 provides the sound. Originally, the character described the towering, rugged appearance of steep peaks, a meaning that survives in classical landscape poetry. In modern Chinese, however, this topographic sense has largely faded, and 崔 is now encountered almost exclusively as a common surname.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

崔老师很好。

Cuī lǎoshī hěn hǎo.

Teacher Cui is very good.

崔先生住在北京。

Cuī xiānshēng zhù zài Běijīng.

Mr. Cui lives in Beijing.

崔小姐是医院的医生。

Cuī xiǎojiě shì yīyuàn de yīshēng.

Miss Cui is a doctor at the hospital.

崔经理今天很忙。

Cuī jīnglǐ jīntiān hěn máng.

Manager Cui is very busy today.

崔叔叔喜欢打篮球。

Cuī shūshu xǐhuān dǎ lánqiú.

Uncle Cui likes playing basketball.

崔阿姨做的菜很好吃。

Cuī āyí zuò de cài hěn hǎochī.

Aunt Cui's cooked dishes are very delicious.

崔同学的学习成绩很好。

Cuī tóngxué de xuéxí chéngjì hěn hǎo.

Classmate Cui's academic performance is very good.

崔教授在大学里教历史。

Cuī jiàoshòu zài dàxué lǐ jiào lìshǐ.

Professor Cui teaches history at the university.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 山

Component: 隹

崔