拂 (bì) — to brush / whisk / flick (lightly); to go against, to defy
Definition
Literary verb meaning to brush or skim lightly (as wind does across water). Often appears in the fixed expression 拂逆 'to go against (someone's wishes), to defy.'
verb
to brush / whisk / flick (lightly)to go againstto defy
Easily confused
- 佛fólook-alike(archaic) female head ornament
- 闭bìsound-aliketo close, to shut
- 沸fèilook-aliketo boil
- 必bìsound-alikecertainly; must; necessarily; will (expressing necessity or certainty)
- 毙bìsound-aliketo die (violently, especially by shooting or execution)
- 避bìsound-aliketo avoid; to evade; to keep away from; to shun
Examples
- 拂。Tā qīng qīng bì qù yī xiù shàng de chén tǔ.He gently brushed the dust off his sleeve.
- 拂。Tā de huà bì le tā de miàn zi.His words went against her dignity.
- 拂，。Wēi fēng bì guò hú miàn, fàn qǐ lián yī.A gentle breeze brushed across the lake, causing ripples.
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.
The left part 扌 is a hand, matching actions like flicking or whisking, while 弗 gives the sound.
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