闺 (guī) — (bound form) boudoir; women's quarters; used in compounds related to women's private space or close female relationships
Definition
闺 (guī) is a bound form meaning 'inner chambers of a traditional women's household' — it only appears inside compounds like 闺女 (daughter), 闺密 (best female friend), 闺房 (boudoir).
bound form
boudoirwomen's quartersused in compounds related to women's private space or close female relationships
Easily confused
- 阑lánlook-alike(bound form) railing, balustrade, fence
- 归guīsound-aliketo return, to go back
- 阖hélook-alikeentire; whole (used before nouns in set expressions)
- 龟guīsound-aliketortoise, turtle
- 规guīsound-alike(bound morpheme) rule, regulation, standard (in 规定, 规则, 规模)
- 圭guīsound-alike(historical) jade tablet carried by nobles and rulers as a symbol of authority in ceremonial contexts
Examples
- 。Tā yǒu yí gè kě ài de guī nü.She has a lovely daughter.
- 闺。Tā shì wǒ zuì hǎo de guī mì.She is my best female friend.
- 。Tā de guī fáng bù zhì dé hěn wēn xīn.Her boudoir is decorated very warmly.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 閨; 闺 is its simplified writing.
- 門門méndoor
- 圭圭guīpointed jade tablet
The traditional form 閨 has 門 (door) and 圭 (pointed jade tablet), and is described as an arched door shaped like 圭. The simplified 闺 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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