肆 (sì) — four (the anti-fraud character used on checks, contracts, and official documents); (literary) wanton, reckless, unrestrained; (literary) shop, store
Definition
A literary numeral 'four' used in the anti-fraud form 肆 on checks and contracts. As a stand-alone word it means 'wanton / unrestrained' (e.g. 放肆) or 'shop' (e.g. 酒肆) in classical writing.
numeral
four (the anti-fraud character used on checks, contracts, and official documents)(literary) wantonrecklessunrestrained(literary) shopstore
Examples
- 肆。Zhè zhāng zhī piào shàng bì xū yòng sì tián xiě jīn é.The amount on this check must be written using the financial form of four.
- ，。Tā jīn tiān biǎo xiàn dé shí fēn fàng sì, wán quán bù shǒu guī ju.He acted extremely recklessly today, completely disregarding the rules.
- 肆。Zhè jiā jiǔ sì yǐ jīng jīng yíng le shàng bǎi nián.This old wine shop has been in business for over a hundred years.
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.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
镸镸cháng
Sound part声符shēngfú
隶
隶lì肆sì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
肆 pairs 镸 as a meaning part with 隶 as a sound part.
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