玑 (jī) — (bound form) a pearl or bead that is not round; used in literary compounds
Definition
玑 is a literary bound form meaning an irregular (non-round) pearl or bead, used almost only in the set phrase 珠玑. The same phrase also covers round pearls (珠), so 玑 simply adds the sense of 'gem, treasure' to a string of jewels.
bound form
a pearl or bead that is not roundused in literary compounds
Easily confused
- 讥jīlook-aliketo mock, to ridicule, to satirize (bound form, used in compounds)
- 鸡jīsound-alikechicken
- 矶jīlook-alike(bound form) projecting rock or cliff over water, often used in place names
- 奇jīsound-alike(classifier) odd number (used after a number to count odd numbers)
- 叽jīlook-alike(onomatopoeia) chirp, twitter (sound of birds or small animals)
- 基jīsound-alike(bound form) base; foundation; fundamental
Examples
- 玑，。Zhè piān wén zhāng zì zì zhū jī, xiě dé fēi cháng hǎo.This article is full of gems (every word is a pearl), very well written.
- 玑，。Tā de yǎn jiǎng zì zì zhū jī, yíng dé le quán chǎng zhǎng shēng.His speech was full of gems, winning applause from the whole audience.
- 玑。Tā de zuò pǐn rú zhū jī bān zhēn guì.Her works are as precious as pearls and gems.
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.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 璣; 玑 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
幾
幾jī璣jī
Same sound today
The traditional form 璣 combines 玉 (jade) with 幾, which gives its sound; 玑 is a simplified shorthand.
Appears in
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