(jié) — (bound form) the Jie, an ancient ethnic group in northern China

Definition

A bound historical term referring to the Jie, an ancient northern people who formed one of the Five Barbarians (五胡) and founded Later Zhao. Always appears attached to 族 or 人.

bound form
the Jie, an ancient ethnic group in northern China

Examples

  • jié Zú zài lì shǐ shàng céng jīng jiàn lì guò hòu zhào zhèng quán.
    The Jie tribe once established the Later Zhao regime in history.
  • jié Rén shì wǔ hú zhī yī.
    The Jie people were one of the Five Barbarians.
  • Guān yú jié zú de jì zǎi zhǔ yào jiàn yú 《jìn shū》.
    Records about the Jie tribe are mainly found in the Book of Jin.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most 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
yángsheep; goat
Sound part声符shēngfú
Jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

羯 combines 羊 (sheep; goat) with 曷, which supplies the sound.

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