Definitions
(noun)
relative; family member
(noun)
grief; sorrow
(noun)
battle-axe
Etymology
Pictograph of a battle axe having spiked teeth on its blade.
About
The character "戚" derives from an early pictographic concept of a weapon, integrating the element "戉" representing a form of axe, with "尗" likely serving a phonetic function. Initially denoting a ceremonial or martial axe, its usage expanded through linguistic borrowing to indicate close kinship, as in the term "亲戚" for family relatives, a semantic shift probably facilitated by shared auditory qualities with related words. Alongside this, the character developed a parallel meaning associated with sorrow and distress, potentially influenced by the emotional weight of familial ties or ritual contexts. Its traditional form, unchanged in structure, still reflects these compounded meanings through its compositional parts, bridging its original martial connotation with later social and emotional applications.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我的亲戚来自北京。
我们欢迎亲戚来访。
她有很多亲戚朋友。
亲戚们聚在一起吃饭。
他对亲戚非常友好。
亲戚之间的关系很重要。
他因失去亲人而哀戚。
他的脸上露出戚容。