硊 (wěi) - To kneel & to prostrate oneself

硊Tone 3

wěi ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

硊 · wěi

To kneel;

to prostrate oneself;

also refers to a rocky mountain in ancient texts.

To kneelto prostrate oneselfalso refers to a rocky mountain in ancient

Usage highlights

To kneel downTo kneel and worshipKneeling postureRocky mountainTo kneel and begKneeling ceremony

Synonyms

  • 跪— to kneel (more common modern term)
  • 拜— to bow, to worship

Antonyms

  • 站— to stand
  • 立— to stand, to erect

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He knelt down to propose (硊下求婚).
  • Worshippers kneel before the altar (在祭坛前硊拜).
  • The mountain path was rocky and treacherous (山路硊硊).

Collocations

  • To kneel down(硊下)
  • To kneel and worship(硊拜)
  • Kneeling posture(硊姿)
  • Rocky mountain(硊山)
  • To kneel and beg(硊求)
  • Kneeling ceremony(硊礼)

Idioms

  • Kneeling and kowtowing repeatedly(三拜九硊)
  • Standing tall and kneeling deep(昂首深硊)
  • Kneeling on ice and lying on fire(硊冰卧火)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character combines the stone radical (石) with the component for danger/difficulty (危), suggesting kneeling on rough or dangerous ground.
  • In traditional Chinese culture, kneeling was an important ritual gesture showing respect to elders, ancestors, and deities.
  • The character appears in classical texts describing both physical kneeling and geographical features of rocky terrain.

FAQ