佘 (shé) — a surname

Definition

noun
a surname
Easily confused

Examples

  • 佘，。
    Tā xìng shé, shì hàn zú rén.
    His surname is She; he is Han Chinese.
  • 佘。
    shé Lǎo shī jiào wǒ men lì shǐ.
    Teacher She teaches us history.
  • 佘？
    Nǐ rèn shi shé xiān sheng ma?
    Do you know Mr. She?

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most 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
人人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
示
示shì佘Shé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The surname character 佘 is built from 人 (person) and 示; 人 relates to people, and 示 gives the sound.

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