伟岸 (wěi àn) — (formal) tall and robust; stalwart (of a person's physique); (literary) brilliant and outstanding (of achievements, character)

Definition

Literary adjective praising impressive stature or character — a person's tall, strong build or someone's outstanding achievements. Used in writing, not everyday speech.

adjective
(formal) tall and robuststalwart (of a person's physique)(literary) brilliant and outstanding (of achievements, character)

Examples

  • 伟岸，。
    Tā shēn cái wěi àn, zhàn zài rén qún zhōng tè bié xiǎn yǎn.
    He is tall and robust, standing out conspicuously in the crowd.
  • 伟岸。
    Zhè wèi yīng xióng de wěi àn xíng xiàng yǒng yuǎn liú zài le rén men xīn zhōng.
    This hero's stalwart image will forever remain in people's hearts.
  • 伟岸，。
    Tā de wén xué chéng jiù shí fēn wěi àn, bèi yù wéi shī tán tài dǒu.
    His literary achievements are brilliant and outstanding; he is hailed as a titan of poetry.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

伟wěigreat/tall
岸ànupright/tall

伟 and 岸 both suggest tall, upright, impressive qualities, so together they describe a stalwart physique.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 偉; 伟 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi偉wěi
Same sound today

The traditional form 偉 combines 亻, a person, with 韋, which gives the sound. The simplified 伟 is a later shorthand.

Open 伟 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
屵屵àncliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
干
干gān岸àn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

岸 shows 屵, a cliff, next to 干, which gives a clue to the sound; together they point to the edge of land.

Open 岸 →

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