敷 (fū) — to apply (ointment, face mask, powder, etc.) onto a surface; to be sufficient to cover (expenses, needs, etc.)
Definition
敷 (fū) has two distinct senses: apply (ointment, mask, color) onto a surface, and be sufficient to cover (costs, needs). For 'sufficient,' 够 and 足够 are more common; 敷 is rarer and used for covering expenses.
verb
to apply (ointment, face mask, powder, etc.) onto a surfaceto be sufficient to cover (expenses, needs, etc.)
Examples
- 敷。Nǐ xū yào zài shāng kǒu shàng fū yī céng yào gāo.You need to apply a layer of ointment on the wound.
- 敷。Wǒ de gōng zī gāng hǎo fū yòng.My salary is just enough to cover expenses.
- 敷。Tā zǐ xì dì zài huà bù shàng fū sè.He carefully applied color on the canvas.
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
攵Written in full as攴pūhand with whip; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
尃
尃fū敷fū
Same sound today
敷 pairs 尃, giving its sound and the sense of distribute, with 攵, a hand with whip showing action.
Appears in
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