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猥亵 (wěi xiè) — obscene; lewd

Definition

Used to describe sexual acts, language, or gestures that are offensive and indecent — typically in legal or formal contexts (e.g. 猥亵罪 'indecent assault'). As a verb it means to molest or sexually assault someone.

adjective
obscenelewd

Examples

  • 猥亵。
    Tā de yǔ yán hěn wěi xiè.
    His language is obscene.
  • 猥亵。
    Zhè zhǒng xíng wéi shì wěi xiè de.
    This kind of behavior is lewd.
  • 猥亵。
    Tā zuò le yí gè wěi xiè de shǒu shì.
    He made a lewd gesture.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

猥wěilewd
亵xièindecent

猥 points to lewdness and 亵 to indecency, together describing obscene behavior.

Characters in this word

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
犬犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
畏
畏wèi猥wěi
Same sound today

The left part of 猥 is 犬, a dog, used for the meaning; the right part is 畏, used for the sound.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 褻; 亵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì褻xiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 褻 has 衣, clothes, and 埶, which supplies the sound.

Open 亵 →
Appears in
Crime & Police

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