侧 (cè) — (noun) side, lateral part; (verb) to incline, to lean, to turn sideways
Definition
侧 (cè) is a short noun/verb meaning the 'side' of something or to 'tilt/lean' the body. As a verb it focuses on turning sideways (e.g. 侧着头); 斜 is more about being slanted or tilted in position.
noun
sidelateral part
verb
to inclineto leanto turn sideways
Examples
- 侧。Qǐng xiàng páng biān cè yí xià.Please lean to the side.
- 。Bǐ jì xiě zài zhǐ de yòu cè.The notes are written on the right side of the paper.
- 侧。Tā cè zhe tóu tīng wǒ shuō huà.He tilted his head to listen to me.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 側; 侧 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé側cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 側 has 亻, a person, and uses 則 to show its sound. The simplified 侧 is a later shorthand.
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