宪 (xiàn) — (bound form) constitution; charter; fundamental law
Definition
宪 is a bound form meaning 'constitutional' — it only appears in compounds like 宪法 (constitution), 违宪 (unconstitutional), and 宪政 (constitutional government). Never used alone.
bound form
constitutioncharterfundamental law
Examples
- 。Zhōng guó xiàn fǎ shì guó jiā de gēn běn dà fǎ.China's constitution is the fundamental law of the country.
- 。Zhè xiàng zhèng cè bèi pàn jué wèi wéi xiàn.This policy was ruled unconstitutional.
- 宪。Tā men zhèng zài tǎo lùn xiàn zhèng gǎi gé de wèn tí.They are discussing the issue of constitutional reform.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 憲; 宪 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡩜
𡩜𡩜憲xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 憲 pairs 心 (heart) with 𡩜, a sound component whose form depicts a punishment involving tattooing the eyes; the simplified 宪 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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