智 (zhì) — wise; wisdom (bound morpheme, used in compounds)

Definition

Bound morpheme meaning 'wisdom / intelligence' — never stands alone, must combine with another character (e.g. 智慧, 智力, 聪明). The 1-character word is literary and rare in everyday speech.

bound form

wisewisdom (bound morpheme, used in compounds)

Examples

，。
Tā hěn yǒu zhì huì, zuò shì zǒng shì kǎo lǜ zhōu quán.
He is very wise and always thinks things through carefully.
。
zhì Lì yóu xì kě yǐ duàn liàn dà nǎo.
Intelligence games can exercise the brain.
。
Zhè ge jué dìng fēi cháng míng zhì.
This decision is very sensible.

Origin

Compound ideograph

六书liùshū

会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

大大dàadult
口口kǒumouth
子子zǐchild

The early form 智 used 大 (adult), 口 (mouth), and 子 (child): an adult speaking to pass knowledge to a child.

Appears in

Thinking & Cognition

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