微

wēi

彳 + 𢼸

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

wēi (adjective) tiny; miniature; slight

wēi (verb) to decline; diminish

wēi (prefix) micro

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 彳 represents the meaning and 𢼸 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "go out and hide". The meaning later shifted to "conceal" and "tiny".

About

微 is a phono-semantic compound combining the semantic component 彳 (step, walk) with the phonetic 𢼸, which includes 攵 (action, striking). Its original meaning was "go out and hide", later shifting to "conceal" and then to "tiny". The character's structure, movement paired with an action element, suggests a quiet, furtive departure, which underlies the later extensions. From the core idea of concealment, 微 came to describe what is minute, subtle, or insignificant, moving from physical hiddenness to abstract smallness.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他对我微微一笑。

Tā duì wǒ wēi wēi yī xiào.

He gave me a slight smile.

微风吹过湖面。

Wēifēng chuīguò húmiàn.

A breeze blew across the lake surface.

这里发生了微妙的变化。

Zhèlǐ fāshēngle wēimiào de biànhuà.

A subtle change has occurred here.

信号在这里非常微弱。

Xìnhào zài zhèlǐ fēicháng wēiruò.

The signal is very weak here.

她在微博上很受欢迎。

Tā zài wēibó shàng hěn shòu huānyíng.

She is very popular on Weibo.

科学家正在研究微观世界。

Kēxuéjiā zhèngzài yánjiū wéiguān shìjiè.

Scientists are studying the microscopic world.

他的收入微薄，难以养家。

Tā de shōurù wēibó, nányǐ yǎngjiā.

His income is meager, making it hard to support his family.

这个方案还需要细微调整。

Zhège fāng'àn hái xūyào xìwēi tiáozhěng.

This plan still requires minor adjustments.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 彳

Component: 𢼸

微