彷 (fǎng) — used in the compounds 彷徨 (to hesitate) and 彷徉 (to roam)
Definition
彷 (fǎng) is a bound form that never stands alone — it appears only in 彷徨 (to hesitate, waver) and 彷徉 (to roam, wander).
bound form
used in the compounds 彷徨 (to hesitate) and 彷徉 (to roam)
Easily confused
- 访fǎnglook-alike(bound form) to visit, to call on
- 仿fǎnglook-aliketo imitate, to copy
- 坊fānglook-alike(bound form) small workshop / mill
- 纺fǎnglook-aliketo spin (fibers into thread or yarn)
- 防fánglook-aliketo prevent; to guard against; to protect against
- 往wǎnglook-alike(preposition) toward, in the direction of
Examples
- 。Tā zài rén shēng de shí zì lù kǒu gǎn dào fǎng huáng.He felt hesitant at the crossroads of life.
- 。fǎng Huáng shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de qíng xù.Hesitation is a common emotion.
- 彷徉，。Tā dú zì zài lín zhōng fǎng yáng, xiǎng shòu níng jìng.He roamed alone in the forest, enjoying the tranquility.
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.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
彷 is made from 彳 and 方, with 方 giving the sound.
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