卿 (qīng) — (bound form) high official rank (in ancient China); (bound form) term of endearment (used between lovers in classical contexts)

Definition

A classical/archaic bound form, never used alone in modern speech. As a title it denotes a high minister in ancient China; reduplicated as 卿卿 it is an intimate lovers' term in classical literature.

bound form
high official rank (in ancient China)term of endearment (used between lovers in classical contexts)
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，卿。
    Lì shǐ shàng, xǔ duō gōng qīng dōu wèi guó jiā zuò chū le gòng xiàn.
    Historically, many high ministers contributed to the country.
  • ，'卿卿'。
    Zài gǔ diǎn wén xué zhōng, qíng lǚ zhī jiān cháng yòng ' qīng qīng ' chēng hu duì fāng.
    In classical literature, lovers often call each other 'qingqing'.
  • '卿卿'。
    Fū qī zhī jiān hù chēng ' qīng qīng ' biǎo shì qīn nì.
    Couples call each other 'qingqing' to show intimacy.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 𠨍𠨍𠨍two men facing each other
  • 皀皀jífood vessel with a stand

The shape 卿 shows 𠨍, two men facing each other, beside 皀, a food vessel on a stand, as a scene of people sharing a ritual feast.

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