(guī) — (bound morpheme) rule, regulation, standard (in 规定, 规则, 规模); (bound morpheme) compass, circle-drawing instrument (in 圆规); (bound morpheme) admonish, advise (in 规劝)

Definition

规 (guī) is a bound morpheme, never used alone. It most commonly means 'rule / standard' (规定, 规则), and also names the drawing compass (圆规).

bound form
(bound morpheme) ruleregulationstandard (in 规定, 规则, 规模)(bound morpheme) compasscircle-drawing instrument (in 圆规)(bound morpheme) admonishadvise (in 规劝)

Examples

  • Gōng sī zhì dìng le xīn de guī dìng, quán tǐ yuán gōng dōu yào zūn shǒu.
    The company has formulated new regulations, and all employees must abide by them.
  • Tā yòng yuán guī huà le yí gè wán měi de yuán xíng.
    He used a compass to draw a perfect circle.
  • Péng you yì zhí guī quàn tā bú yào chōng dòng.
    His friend kept advising him not to act impulsively.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 規; 规 is its simplified writing.

  • husband
  • jiànsee

The simplified 规 is a shorthand; the traditional form 規 shows a cross-shaped compass in its early drawing, and its later form uses 夫 and 見.

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