rhinoceros

Phonosemantic compound. represents the sound and represents the meaning.

Components
尾 sound component

  Sound component

wěi

  

tail

牛 meaning component

  Meaning component

niú

  

cow

Evolution

犀 Bronze script Western Zhou (1045-771 BC)

Bronze script

Western Zhou (1045-771 BC)
犀 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
犀 Clerical script Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
犀 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

rhinoceros; sharp, well-tempered; sharp

Most common words with 犀
Freq.
Word
Meaning

犀利

sharp

犀牛

rhinoceros

sharp

灵犀

fig. mutual sensitivity

心有灵犀一点通

hearts linked as one, just as the proverbial rhinoceros communicates emotion telepathically through his single horn (idiom); fig. two hearts beat as one

Component uses

Sound component in 3 characters (1 verified)