(pái) — (bound form) haiku (as in 俳句); (bound form) comic, comical (as in 俳谐)

Definition

A literary bound form used in 俳句 ('haiku') and 俳谐 ('comic verse') — the haiku sense dominates. Recognized from these compounds rather than used alone.

bound form
haiku (as in 俳句)comiccomical (as in 俳谐)

Examples

  • Tā xǐ huan xiě pái jù.
    He likes to write haiku.
  • Zhè shǒu pái xié shī hěn yǒu qù.
    This comic poem is very interesting.
  • Sōng wěi bā jiāo shì zhù míng de pái shèng.
    Matsuo Bashō is a famous haiku master.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
Written in full asrénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
fēipái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 亻 marks a person, and the right part 非 gives the sound.

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