About
The character 插 is a phono-semantic compound with the hand radical 扌 (shǒu) on the left, indicating a manual action. Its right component, 臿 (chā), provides the phonetic element and historically depicted a tool like a spade for piercing the earth. The core meaning is the physical act of inserting, sticking, or plunging an object into a narrow space or solid material. This concrete sense applies to actions such as arranging flowers in a vase or plugging a cord into a socket. It also extends metaphorically to abstract insertion, like interjecting words into a conversation or intervening as an outsider in a situation.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
请把钥匙插进门锁。
有人喜欢在排队时插队。
墙上有一个电源插座。
他讲话时，别人不能随便插嘴。
这本书里插入了很多精美的图片。
她把鲜花插在了花瓶里。
这个项目是由政府直接投资插手的。
学习插花艺术需要耐心和创意。