(xié) — shoe

Definition

Examples

  • Zhè shuāng xié hěn shū fu.
    This pair of shoes is very comfortable.
  • Tā chuān le yì shuāng hēi xié.
    He wore a pair of black shoes.
  • Zhè zhī xié tài xiǎo le.
    This shoe is too small.

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

鞋 puts 革 (leather) beside 圭 to show leather shoes; 圭 gives the sound and originally drew a pair of ritual axes, not earth.

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