发髻 (fà jì) — bun (hairstyle), coil

Definition

A 发髻 (fàjì) is a bun or coil hairstyle, typically piled up on top or at the back of the head — the everyday word for a styled bun, from a simple coil to an elaborate traditional updo.

noun
bun (hairstyle)coil
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 发髻。
    Tā bǎ tóu fa pán chéng yí gè fà jì.
    She put her hair up in a bun.
  • 发髻。
    Gǔ dài nǚ zǐ cháng shū gāo gāo de fà jì.
    Ancient women often wore high buns.
  • 发髻。
    Tā de fà jì shàng bié le yì duǒ huā.
    She pinned a flower on her bun.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

发fāhair
髻jìbun

“发” means hair and “髻” means a bun, so it names a bun made from hair.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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
髟髟biāolong hair
Sound part声符shēngfú
吉
吉jí髻jì
Same sound today

髻 is built from 髟, showing long hair, and 吉, giving its sound.

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