About
The character "稽" is structured with the semantic component "禾", representing grain, and the phonetic component "旨", which guides its pronunciation. This composition originally conveyed notions of stopping or examining, likely stemming from agricultural contexts where one would pause to inspect crops. Over centuries, its core meaning of "to examine" expanded to include "to delay" or "to detain", as seen in compounds such as "稽核" for auditing and "稽留" for detention. In classical usage, it also took on a specific ritual sense in "稽首", denoting a formal bow where the head touches the ground, reflecting a shift from practical inspection to ceremonial action.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他的表演很滑稽。
警察正在稽查车辆。
公司定期稽核财务。
他因故稽留了几天。
历史资料需要仔细稽考。
工程稽延会导致成本增加。
海关稽察出入境货物很严格。
在古代，臣子向君王行稽首礼。