About
As a phono-semantic compound, 柄 combines the left-side radical 木, indicating that the original objects were typically wooden, with the right-side component 丙, which provides its phonetic pronunciation. Its core meaning is the handle or hilt of a tool or weapon, such as an axe, or the stem of a plant. This concrete sense of a grasping point for control later extended metaphorically to represent power, authority, or a key point of leverage in social or political contexts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这把伞的柄断了。
刀柄上刻有花纹。
别让人抓住你的把柄。
他的失误成了笑柄。
掌握权柄的人要负责任。
由于把柄落在对方手里，他不得不妥协。
那个腐败官员的权柄最终被剥夺了。
在历史上，许多统治者因滥用权柄而失去民心。