绚 (xuàn) — (bound morpheme) gorgeous, splendid, brilliant (in compounds like 绚丽, 绚烂)

Definition

绚 (xuàn) is a bound morpheme — it only appears in compounds like 绚丽 and 绚烂, meaning 'gorgeous, brilliant' (especially of colors and light). Never used as a standalone word.

bound form
(bound morpheme) gorgeoussplendidbrilliant (in compounds like 绚丽, 绚烂)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Qiū tiān de fēng yè sè cǎi xuàn lì.
    The autumn maple leaves have gorgeous colors.
  • ，。
    Wǎn xiá xuàn làn, měi bú shèng shōu.
    The sunset glow is splendid and breathtakingly beautiful.
  • ，。
    Zhè fú huà sè cǎi xuàn lì, lìng rén jīng tàn.
    This painting has brilliant colors that amaze people.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 絢; 绚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
旬
旬xún絢xuàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 絢 uses 糸 (silk) for meaning and 旬 for sound; the simplified 绚 is a shorthand.

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