夷
How to Say
How to Write
Meaning: non-Han people, esp. to the East of China
💡 Picture a big (大) person with a bow (弓) — an eastern archer from ancient tribes.
Compounds
Character Story & Explanation
Originally, 夷 depicted a person (大) bound by a bow (弓), symbolizing a 'barbarian' archer from the eastern tribes of ancient China. Over time, it came to mean 'non-Han people' or 'to level/smooth' (e.g., 夷为平地). Culturally, 夷 appears in historical texts like the 'Yi Jing' and in terms such as '华夷之辨' (distinction between Chinese and barbarians).
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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