玺 (xǐ) — imperial seal (used by Chinese emperors)
Definition
A bound form meaning 'imperial seal' — the seal used exclusively by Chinese emperors, almost always made of jade. It cannot stand alone; it appears in compounds like 玉玺.
bound form
imperial seal (used by Chinese emperors)
Easily confused
- 璧bìlook-alikea round flat piece of jade with a hole in the center, used as a ritual object in ancient China
- 洗xǐsound-aliketo wash
- 宝bǎolook-aliketreasure; gem; precious object
- 喜xǐsound-alike(bound form) happiness, joy
- 屣xǐsound-alikeshoes (in literary compounds and idioms)
- 徙xǐsound-aliketo move (one's residence) (literary)
Examples
- 。Zhè méi yù xǐ shì míng cháo de wén wù.This jade imperial seal is a Ming Dynasty artifact.
- 。Huáng dì yòng yù xǐ lái gài zhòng yào wén jiàn.The emperor used the jade imperial seal to stamp important documents.
- 。Bó wù guǎn lǐ zhǎn chū le yì méi gǔ dài yù xǐ.The museum displayed an ancient jade imperial seal.
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 璽; 玺 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
爾
爾ěr璽xǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 璽 pairs 玉, jade, with 爾 giving the sound; the simplified 玺 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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