About
The character "新" derives from an early phono-semantic construct where the elements 木 for wood and 斤 for axe conveyed the core idea of cutting timber, while 辛 served as a phonetic component. This original structure reflected the concrete action of harvesting fresh wood, a practice which gradually lent its association to the abstract quality of newness. Graphically, the form stabilized into the modern configuration of 亲 alongside 斤, with the left component evolving from the historical fusion of 辛 and 木. The semantic shift from the specific act of woodcutting to the general adjective "new" was complete over centuries, entirely displacing the literal meaning in favor of denoting recent origin or freshness in contemporary usage.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这是我的新书。
我买了新衣服。
她认识了新朋友。
新闻很有趣。
新老师教我们数学。
新技术发展很快。
我们需要学习新知识。
适应新环境需要时间。