灋 (fǎ) - Fa — ancient form of 法 (fǎ), meaning & originally depicted a mythical creature used in judgment.

灋Tone 3

fǎ ｜ 21 strokes ｜ radical:

恩丰

灋 · fǎ

Fa — ancient form of 法 (fǎ), meaning law, statute, rule, method;

originally depicted a mythical creature used in judgment.

Fa — ancient form of 法 (fǎ), meaningoriginally depicted a mythical creature used in judgment.

Usage highlights

Ancient lawLaw and punishmentRule of lawLegal principlesStatute books

Synonyms

  • 法— law, method (modern equivalent)
  • 律— statute, regulation
  • 规— rule, regulation

Antonyms

  • 乱— disorder, chaos
  • 私— private, selfish (opposite of impartial law)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient character for law is 灋 (fǎ).
  • In ancient texts, 灋 represents divine justice (神判).
  • This character appears in bronze inscriptions (金文).

Collocations

  • Ancient law(古灋)
  • Law and punishment(灋刑)
  • Rule of law(灋治)
  • Legal principles(灋理)
  • Statute books(灋典)

Idioms

  • The law is the foundation of the state(灋者，国之本也)
  • Follow the law and uphold justice(遵灋守正)
  • The law does not favor the noble(灋不阿贵)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 灋 is the archaic form of 法, featuring 廌 (zhì), a mythical unicorn-like creature that could distinguish right from wrong in ancient Chinese legal tradition.
  • The character embodies the concept of impartial justice, as the 廌 was believed to gore the guilty party in disputes.
  • It represents the fusion of divine judgment and human law in early Chinese legal philosophy.

FAQ