p8nda
p8nda BETA
Home Dictionary Translate Flashcards Sign in

讳

諱
huì
verb #50,488

Meanings

  1. 1 to avoid mentioning; to shun as taboo
  2. 2 a taboo word; the name of a deceased or revered person

Examples

他直言不讳地说出了意见。
Tā zhíyánbúhuì de shuō chū le yìjiàn.
He spoke frankly without holding anything back.
看病时不要讳疾忌医。
Kànbìng shí búyào huìjíjìyī.
Don't shy away from talking about problems with the doctor.
他总是忌讳提起那次失败的创业。
Tā zǒngshì jìhuì tí qǐ nà cì shībài de chuàngyè.
He always avoids mentioning his failed start-up.

Tips

culture
Common in 忌讳 ('a taboo, to avoid') and 直言不讳 ('to speak bluntly'). In old China you could not say or write the personal name of an emperor or your own elders; that name was the 讳 (the 'taboo name').

Components

radical
讠 yán
speech; words
The left-side speech radical (the compressed form of 言) gives the meaning: this is about words you must not say, a verbal taboo.
phonetic
韦 wéi
tanned leather
Supplies the sound on the right: 韦 shifted to huì. It carries no 'leather' meaning here, only the phonetic value.

Stroke Order

讳 huì