辞 (cí) · to resign, to take leave, word

Meanings

1 to resign
2 to take leave
3 word
4 diction

Characters

辞

cí

to resign; word; diction

Examples

HSK 4

辞职

Cízhí

to resign from a job

HSK 6

辞典

Cídiǎn

dictionary

Tips

usage

辛 suffering + 舌 tongue - parting words spoken with difficulty

Components

radical

辛 xīn

bitter; toil

Right 辛 - pictograph of a tattooing knife used to mark prisoners, originally meaning 'punishment, pain, bitterness.' The indexing radical (Kangxi #160). In 辞 the picture is 'words spoken under hardship' - a parting speech, a resignation, a difficult diction. Family: 辣 (spicy/hot), 辨 (distinguish), 辩 (debate).

semantic

舌 shé

tongue

Left tongue component - pictograph of a tongue extended from a mouth (bottom 口 with a forked top). The tongue is the organ of speech, fitting for a char meaning 'word, diction, to take leave in words.' Family: 话 (talk), 甜 (sweet - what the tongue tastes).