魏

wèi
委 + 鬼

Definitions

Wèi (noun) name of ancient Chinese state; Wei dynasty (220-265)
wèi (noun) tower over palace gateway

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 鬼 represents the meaning and 委 represents the sound.

Semantic: 鬼 Phonetic: 委

About

魏 is a phonosemantic compound with 鬼 (ghost, spirit) on the right indicating the meaning, and 委 on the left providing the sound. Its earliest meaning, now obsolete, was "high" or "towering". The character became primarily a proper noun, best known as the name of several ancient Chinese states and dynasties, especially the state of Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. Today, it functions almost exclusively as a historical place name and a very common surname.

Example Sentences Hide

魏国在历史上很重要。

Wèi guó zài lìshǐ shàng hěn zhòngyào.

The state of Wei is very important in history.

魏晋时期有很多文人。

Wèi Jìn shíqī yǒu hěnduō wénrén.

There were many literati during the Wei and Jin period.

曹操建立了魏国。

Cáo Cāo jiànlì le Wèi guó.

Cao Cao established the state of Wei.

魏国的首都曾经是洛阳。

Wèi guó de shǒudū céngjīng shì Luòyáng.

The capital of Wei was once Luoyang.

在三国演义中，魏国是其中之一。

Zài Sānguó Yǎnyì zhōng, Wèi guó shì qízhōng zhī yī.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Wei is one of them.

魏文帝曹丕是魏朝的开国皇帝。

Wèi Wén Dì Cáo Pī shì Wèi cháo de kāiguó huángdì.

Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, was the founding emperor of the Wei dynasty.

北魏和东魏都是南北朝时期的政权。

Běi Wèi hé Dōng Wèi dōu shì Nánběi Cháo shíqī de zhèngquán.

Northern Wei and Eastern Wei were both regimes during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period.

魏徵是唐代著名的政治家，以直言敢谏著称。

Wèi Zhēng shì Táng dài zhùmíng de zhèngzhìjiā, yǐ zhíyán gǎn jiàn zhùchēng.

Wei Zheng was a famous politician of the Tang Dynasty, known for his outspoken advice.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

巍 犩

Component: 委

矮 萎 倭 诿 痿 逶 緌 諉 捼 踒 餧

Component: 鬼

魔 魂 愧 瑰 魄 魁 魅 槐 傀 魇 魑 隗 魉 魃

Example Words

魏国 北魏 魏晋 围魏救赵 曹魏 东魏 阿魏 魏巍 魏征 魏忠贤 魏书 魏源 魏玛 魏县