偎 (wēi): to snuggle up to

Meanings

孩子偎在妈妈的怀里。

Háizi wēi zài māma de huái lǐ.

The child snuggled into his mother's arms.

两个人相互依偎，看着日落。

Liǎng ge rén xiānghù yīwēi, kàn zhe rìluò.

The couple cuddled close together, watching the sunset.

usage

Usually pairs into 依偎 ('to lean tenderly against') or 偎依, conveying warm physical closeness between people.

radical

亻 rén

person (radical form)

The left-side form of 人 (person). Snuggling is something people do to each other, so the person radical fits the act of leaning close.

phonetic

畏 wèi

to fear; phonetic

To fear, supplying the sound; wèi shifts to wēi. It is phonetic here; the same element gives 喂 and 煨.

偎 wēi