折 (zhé) — to break, to fracture; to fold, to bend; to discount, to convert (currency)
Definition
折 (zhé) is a polysemous verb covering physical breaking, folding, and currency conversion. For long thin objects use 折 (shé); for hard materials use 断裂; for refunds use 退还.
verb
to breakto fractureto foldto bendto discountto convert (currency)
Examples
- ，折。Tā cóng shù shàng diào xià lái, bǎ tuǐ zhé le.He fell from the tree and broke his leg.
- 折。Tā bǎ xìn zhé hǎo fàng jìn xìn fēng lǐ.He folded the letter and put it in the envelope.
- ？Yì bǎi měi yuán zhé hé duō shǎo rén mín bì?How much renminbi does one hundred US dollars convert to?
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
- 屮𣏄𣏄a tree {{zh-m|*木}} cut in half
- 斤斤jīnaxe
The shape originally showed an axe (斤) cutting a tree in half; in 折 the left part is now written as a hand.
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