艾 (ài) — (bound form) to punish (in compounds such as 惩艾 or 自怨自艾)
Definition
艾 (ài) is a bound (bookish) form meaning 'to punish' or 'to regret', used only inside set phrases like 惩艾 and 自怨自艾. You will almost never see it standing alone.
bound form
to punish (in compounds such as 惩艾 or 自怨自艾)
Examples
- 艾。Tā yīn zuò bì ér shòu dào chéng ài.He was punished for cheating.
- 艾。Fǎ lǜ duì yán zhòng zuì fàn jìn xíng chéng ài.The law punishes serious criminals.
- 艾，。Tā zì yuàn zì ài, hòu huǐ dāng chū de xíng wéi.He reproached himself, regretting his past actions.
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.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
乂
乂yì艾ài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
艾 has 艸, a grass sign, on top and 乂 below to give its sound.
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