必 (bì) — certainly; must; necessarily; will (expressing necessity or certainty)
Definition
必 (bì) is a formal/written 'certainly, must' — stronger and more literary than the spoken 必须 or 一定. It almost always appears in set phrases like 必定, 必将, 务必 rather than standing alone.
adverb
certainlymustnecessarilywill (expressing necessity or certainty)
Examples
- 。Tā bì dìng huì lái.He will certainly come.
- ，。Zhǐ yào nǔ lì, bì dìng yǒu shōu huò.If you work hard, there will certainly be rewards.
- 。Zhè jiàn shì nǐ bì xū zuò hǎo.You must do this matter well.
Origin
Pictograph六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíngA drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.
The shape of 必 comes from the handle on the right side of a weapon, with two extra strokes added to its sides.
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