犀 (xī) — rhinoceros | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A bound form never used alone. In compounds it marks 'rhinoceros' (犀牛); in 犀利 it means 'sharp, incisive' (speech, insight).

bound form

rhinoceros

。
Yě shēng xī niú de shù liàng zhèng zài jiǎn shǎo.
The number of wild rhinoceroses is decreasing.
，。
Tā de fā yán hěn xī lì, yì zhēn jiàn xiě.
His speech was sharp and incisive.
。
Fēi zhōu xī niú shēng huó zài guǎng kuò de cǎo yuán shàng.
African rhinoceroses live on vast grasslands.

Sound + meaning

六书liùshū

形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

尾

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

犀 pairs 牛, the ox, with 尾 as its sound part; the ox part marks the meaning.

Appears in