夷 (yí) - ancient term for non-Chinese peoples in the east & barbarian

夷Tone 2

yí ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 大

一懿

夷 · yí

ancient term for non-Chinese peoples in the east;

barbarian;

foreign;

to level;

to raze;

safe;

peaceful

ancient term for non-Chinese peoples in the eastbarbarianforeign

Usage highlights

Eastern barbariansLevel to the groundTurn danger into safetyBarbarian shipsBarbarian affairsForeign merchants

Synonyms

  • 蛮— barbarian (southern tribes)
  • 戎— barbarian (western tribes)
  • 狄— barbarian (northern tribes)
  • 平— level, flat

Antonyms

  • 华— Chinese, civilized (antonym to barbarian sense)
  • 险— dangerous (antonym to safe sense)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient Chinese referred to eastern tribes as Dongyi (东夷).
  • The army razed the fortress to the ground (夷为平地).
  • The situation turned from danger to safety (化险为夷).

Collocations

  • Eastern barbarians(东夷)
  • Level to the ground(夷为平地)
  • Turn danger into safety(化险为夷)
  • Barbarian ships(夷船)
  • Barbarian affairs(夷务)
  • Foreign merchants(夷商)

Idioms

  • Turn peril into safety(化险为夷)
  • Level to the ground(夷为平地)
  • Wait at one's ease for the exhausted enemy(以逸待劳)
  • The Four Barbarians(四夷)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used to refer to non-Chinese peoples, especially those to the east of ancient China.
  • In Confucian classics, 'yi' was one of the 'Four Barbarians' surrounding the Central Plain civilization.
  • The character evolved to mean 'to level' or 'to raze', possibly from the idea of making foreign lands flat for settlement.
  • In modern usage, the ethnic designation sense is considered archaic and sometimes pejorative.

FAQ