耀 (yào) — (bound form) bright, dazzling; (bound form) glory, honor; to boast, to show off
Definition
耀 (yào) is a bound form that almost always combines with another character — 耀眼 ('dazzling'), 荣耀 ('glory'), 炫耀 ('show off'). Rarely stands alone.
bound form
brightdazzlinggloryhonorto boastto show off
Examples
- ，。Tài yáng hěn yào yǎn, kuài dài shàng mò jìng.The sun is very dazzling — put on your sunglasses quickly.
- 。Tā xǐ huan xuàn yào zì jǐ de xīn pǎo chē.He likes to show off his new sports car.
- 。Huò dé zhè ge jiǎng shì tā zuì dà de róng yào.Winning this award is his greatest glory.
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.
Sound part声符shēngfú
翟
翟zhái耀yào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
耀 has 光 (light; beam; ray) beside 翟, and 翟 gives the sound.
Appears in
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