淳 (chún) — (bound form) pure, simple, honest
Definition
A bound morpheme meaning 'pure, simple, honest' — almost always pairs with 朴, 厚, or 良 (e.g. 淳朴, 淳厚) to describe sincere people or customs. Not used as a standalone word.
bound form
puresimplehonest
Examples
- 。Zhè lǐ de rén fēi cháng chún pǔ shàn liáng.The people here are very simple and kind.
- 淳。Tā de xìng gé chún hòu wěn zhòng.His character is honest and steady.
- 淳。Tā men bǎo chí zhe chún liáng de mín fēng.They maintain a pure and honest folk custom.
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.
Sound part声符shēngfú
𦎧
𦎧𦎧淳chún
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
淳 pairs 水, a water-related part, with 𦎧, which gives the sound.
Appears in
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