辟 (bì) — (in 复辟) restoration of a monarch or old order; (in 辟邪) to ward off evil spirits; (in 辟谷) to abstain from grain (as a fasting practice)
Definition
A bound classical/archaic form (bì) that almost never stands alone — it appears only inside set compounds. In 复辟 it means 'restore (a monarch, an old order)'; in 辟邪 'ward off evil'; in 辟谷 'fast from grain'.
bound form
(in 复辟) restoration of a monarch or old order(in 辟邪) to ward off evil spirits(in 辟谷) to abstain from grain (as a fasting practice)
Easily confused
- 僻pìlook-alikesecluded, remote, out of the way (bound form, used in compounds)
- 闭bìsound-aliketo close, to shut
- 噼pīlook-alike(onomatopoeia) cracking, slapping, clapping, clattering sound; often used in 噼啪 and 噼里啪啦
- 必bìsound-alikecertainly; must; necessarily; will (expressing necessity or certainty)
- 毙bìsound-aliketo die (violently, especially by shooting or execution)
- 避bìsound-aliketo avoid; to evade; to keep away from; to shun
Examples
- 辟。Lì shǐ shàng duō cì fù bì dōu shī bài le.Many restorations of monarchs throughout history have failed.
- 。Tā dài le yí gè yù zhuì lái bì xié.He wore a jade pendant to ward off evil spirits.
- 辟。Tā liàn xí bì gǔ yǐ jīng yǒu sān gè yuè le.He has been practicing grain abstention for three months now.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
- 卩卩jiékneeling person
- 䇂䇂䇂sickle-like tool
The early form of 辟 pairs a kneeling person 卩 with a sickle-like tool 䇂, for administering, regulating, or punishing.
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