About
The character 裔, formed from the semantic component 衣 (clothing) combined with 冏 primarily as a phonetic element, originally conveyed the concrete meaning of the lower hem or border of a garment in early textual evidence. This core notion of an edge or fringe naturally extended to metaphorically describe geographical peripheries or frontiers, conceptualized as the distant borders of a territory. Over centuries, the term underwent a further semantic shift to denote descendants or lineage, embodying the idea of successive generations as the extending offshoots or figurative limits of a family line. Thus, while its graphical construction has remained stable, the conceptual evolution from a tangible sartorial detail to abstract relationships of progeny and remoteness reflects a pattern where inherent imagery guides lexical development.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我是华裔美国人。
很多华裔学习中文。
华裔儿童常常学习汉语。
他是孔子的后裔。
这位华裔科学家获得了诺贝尔奖。
许多华裔回到中国寻找他们的根源。
当华裔青少年访问中国时，他们感到非常亲切。
尽管是华裔，但他从未去过中国，因此他对中国文化充满好奇。