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易 (yì) — easy (bound morpheme, e.g. 容易, 易碎); to exchange; to change (bound morpheme, e.g. 交易, 易手); (in compounds) amiable, gentle (e.g. 平易近人)

Definition

易 (yì) is a bound morpheme that does not stand alone — it only appears inside compounds. 'Easy' (容易) and 'to exchange' (交易) are the most common; 平易近人 uses the rare 'amiable' sense.

bound form
easy (bound morpheme, e.g. 容易, 易碎)to exchangeto change (bound morpheme, e.g. 交易, 易手)(in compounds) amiablegentle (e.g. 平易近人)

Examples

  • ，。
    Zhè zhǒng cái liào hěn yì suì, yào xiǎo xīn.
    This material is fragile (easily broken); be careful.
  • 。
    Liǎng guó de mào yì é dà fú zēng zhǎng.
    The trade exchange volume between the two countries grew significantly.
  • ，。
    Zhè wèi lǐng dǎo píng yì jìn rén, shòu dào dà jiā zūn jìng.
    This leader is amiable and approachable, earning everyone's respect.

Origin

Pictograph
六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíng

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The early form of 易 was a drawing of a filled container, not a chameleon. It showed something full that could be given out.

Appears in
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