About
The character "恃" is structured with the heart radical (忄) on the left and the component "寺" on the right, the latter primarily serving as a phonetic element while the radical associates the character with internal states or emotions. Etymologically, "恃" has consistently conveyed the meaning of to rely on or depend upon since its early attestations in Chinese texts, often used in contexts where such reliance implies a basis for confidence or, in some cases, overconfidence. Its composition has remained stable, with the heart radical underscoring the psychological dimension of dependence. While the fundamental sense of reliance has endured, the character's application has narrowed over time to appear more frequently in literary set phrases and formal compounds, such as "恃才傲物", where it denotes depending on one's abilities to despise others, illustrating a shift toward specialized semantic contexts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他恃财生活。
她恃宠行事。
你不能恃势压人。
他恃才自满不进步。
孩子恃宠而骄父母要管。
在团队中恃强欺负弱者不好。
他恃着家族背景傲慢无礼。
尽管他恃着自己的聪明但还是失败了。