俸 (fèng) — (bound form) salary, stipend (especially of officials)
Definition
俸 (fèng) is a bound form meaning 'salary of an official,' almost always paired with 禄 to form 俸禄 or with 银/薪 to write 俸银/薪俸. It sounds literary and historical — modern everyday 'salary' is 工资.
bound form
salarystipend (especially of officials)
Easily confused
- 捧pěnglook-alike(verb) to hold (something) in cupped hands; to offer with both hands
- 缝fèngsound-alikeseam; crack; narrow slit
- 棒bànglook-alike(adjective) great, awesome, wonderful
- 缝fèngsound-alikecrack, fissure
- 奉fèngsound-alike(formal) to offer or present respectfully (as in 奉献, 奉送)
- 凤fèngsound-alikephoenix (mythical bird symbolizing grace and virtue in Chinese culture)
Examples
- 俸。Gǔ dài guān yuán de fèng lù yóu cháo tíng fā fàng.Ancient officials' salaries were issued by the imperial court.
- 。Tā měi yuè lǐng dào yí fèn wēi bó de xīn fèng.He received a meager salary each month.
- 俸。Qīng cháo guān yuán de fèng yín yǐ bái yín jì suàn.Qing dynasty officials' salaries were calculated in silver.
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.
俸 pairs 亻, a person, with 奉, which gives it its sound.
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