(bèi) — (bound form) comet

Definition

孛 (bèi) is a bound literary form used in 孛星 = "comet," mainly in classical texts like the 《史记》. Modern Chinese uses 彗星 instead.

bound form
comet

Examples

  • Gǔ dài tiān wén xué zhōng, bèi xīng bèi kàn zuò bù xiáng zhī zhào.
    In ancient astronomy, comets were seen as omens of misfortune.
  • Zhè kē bèi xīng zài gǔ dài bèi shì wéi zāi xīng.
    This comet was regarded as a disaster star in ancient times.
  • 《Shǐ jì》 zhōng tí dào le huì bèi de chū xiàn.
    The Records of the Grand Historian mentions the appearance of a comet.

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.

  • 𣎵𣎵𣎵growth
  • child

孛 is made of 𣎵 (growth) and 子 (child), and the evidence reads this as growing, vibrant, or spirited.

Appears in

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