父 (fǔ) — (bound form, literary) old man, elder (in respectful compounds)
Definition
A literary bound form meaning 'old man' or 'elder' (as in 渔父 'the old fisherman' from classical texts). Not used alone; the everyday word for 'father' is 父亲 (fùqīn).
bound form
(bound form, literary) old manelder (in respectful compounds)
Easily confused
- 文wénlook-alikewritten language; writing; script
- 府fǔsound-alike(bound form) seat of government; government office
- 艾àilook-alike(bound form) to punish (in compounds such as 惩艾 or 自怨自艾)
- 辅fǔsound-alike(bound form) to assist, to aid, to complement
- 斧fǔsound-alikeax, hatchet (bound form, used in compounds)
- 抚fǔsound-aliketo stroke or touch gently (with the hand)
Examples
- 父。Yú fǔ shì gǔ dài wén xué zhōng cháng jiàn de xíng xiàng.The old fisherman is a common image in classical literature.
- 《父》。Qū yuán de 《yú fǔ》 shì yì piān zhù míng de wén zhāng.Qu Yuan's 'The Old Fisherman' is a famous piece of writing.
- 父。Zhè wèi yú fǔ zài hé biān jìng jìng de diào yú.This old fisherman is fishing quietly by the river.
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 父 shows a hand holding a stone blade, referring to a man working with a stone axe.
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