About
The phono-semantic compound 歉 consists of the semantic radical 欠 (meaning "lack" or "exhalation") on the right and the phonetic component 兼 on the left. Originally used in agricultural contexts to denote a poor harvest or famine, the character’s meaning shifted from a physical shortage of food to an emotional sense of regret and acknowledgment of fault. Today, it primarily appears in apologies for mistakes or offenses, having largely detached from its early agricultural origins.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我向你道歉。
他感到非常抱歉。
请接受我的歉意。
我对此深表歉意。
他因错误而道歉。
她满怀歉疚地离开了。
对于我的疏忽，我谨致歉意。
尽管他已道歉，但受害者仍未释怀。