wēi
noun #4,616

Meanings

  1. 1 power; might; authority
  2. 2 prestige; awe-inspiring force

Examples

Tā hěn yǒu wēixìn.
He has great prestige.
Lǎohǔ de wēilì hěn dà.
The tiger's might is great.
Bùyào wēixié biérén.
Don't threaten others.

Tips

usage
威胁 (wēixié) = to threaten. 威力 (wēilì) = power/might. 威信 (wēixìn) = prestige. 权威 (quánwēi) = authority.

Components

radical
woman
Inner woman radical (Kangxi #38) — the indexing radical. Sits enclosed by the halberd in the overlay. Pedagogically the imagery is uncomfortable but historically transparent: entered the lexicon as a household tyrant's intimidating authority before generalising to majesty (威严), prestige (权威), and threat (威胁).
semantic
halberd; eleventh earthly branch
Outer halberd (a long-handled axe) wraps around in an overlay — the woman's three strokes are nested inside 's frame. The picture is of a weapon brandished above a woman, giving its 'awe, intimidating power, prestige' senses. is also the eleventh earthly branch but here it is purely pictorial: armed force.

Stroke Order

wēi