(wēi) — a species of fern (Osmunda regalis)

Definition

薇 (wēi) is a bound-form character meaning a type of fern (royal fern); it almost always appears in compounds like 蔷薇 (rose) or 紫薇 (crape myrtle), never standing alone.

bound form
a species of fern (Osmunda regalis)

Examples

  • Zhè zhǒng wēi shēng zhǎng zài cháo shī de sēn lín lǐ.
    This type of fern grows in damp forests.
  • Zǐ wēi shì zhōng guó cháng jiàn de guān shǎng zhí wù.
    Crape myrtle is a common ornamental plant in China.
  • Qiáng wēi kāi chū le měi lì de huā.
    The rose bloomed beautiful flowers.

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
cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

The shape of 薇 combines 艸 (grass; plant) with 微, which gives its sound.

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