赐 (cì) — to bestow, to confer (by a superior or heaven)
Definition
赐 (cì) is a highly formal 'bestow' — used for a sovereign or heaven granting something to a subject. Compared with 授予 (confer an honor/title) and 给予 (give, more general/formal), 赐 marks the giver as clearly superior.
verb
to bestowto confer (by a superior or heaven)
Examples
- 赐。Huáng dì cì gěi tā yí kuài dì.The emperor bestowed a piece of land upon him.
- 赐。Shàng tiān cì gěi wǒ yí gè jī huì.Heaven granted me an opportunity.
- 赐。Qǐng cì gěi wǒ zhì huì.Please grant me wisdom.
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.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 賜; 赐 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell, money
Sound part声符shēngfú
易
易yì賜cì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 賜 pairs 貝 (shell, money) with 易 as a sound part; the simplified 赐 is a shorthand.
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