孛 (bèi) — (bound form) comet
Definition
孛 (bèi) is a bound literary form used in 孛星 = "comet," mainly in classical texts like the 《史记》. Modern Chinese uses 彗星 instead.
bound form
comet
Easily confused
- 索suǒlook-aliketo search, to demand
- 被bèisound-alike(preposition) used to mark passive voice, placed before the doer (or directly before the verb if the doer is omitted)
- 脖bólook-alikeneck (bound morpheme, usually appears in 脖子 or compound words)
- 背bèisound-aliketo memorize, to recite from memory
- 悖bèilook-alikecontrary to; to go against; perverse
- 背bèisound-alike(noun) back (of the body)
Examples
- ，孛。Gǔ dài tiān wén xué zhōng, bèi xīng bèi kàn zuò bù xiáng zhī zhào.In ancient astronomy, comets were seen as omens of misfortune.
- 孛。Zhè kē bèi xīng zài gǔ dài bèi shì wéi zāi xīng.This comet was regarded as a disaster star in ancient times.
- 《》彗孛。《Shǐ jì》 zhōng tí dào le huì bèi de chū xiàn.The Records of the Grand Historian mentions the appearance of a comet.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
- 𣎵𣎵𣎵growth
- 子子zǐchild
孛 is made of 𣎵 (growth) and 子 (child), and the evidence reads this as growing, vibrant, or spirited.
Appears in
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