轼 (shì) - Crossbar or handrail on a carriage or chariot & specifically refers to the horizontal bar at the

轼Tone 4

shì ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

轼 · shì

Crossbar or handrail on a carriage or chariot in ancient China;

specifically refers to the horizontal bar at the front of a carriage that passengers could hold for stability.

Crossbar or handrail on a carriage or chariotspecifically refers to the horizontal bar at the

Usage highlights

Carriage crossbarHold the handrail轼礼前轼轼木登轼

Synonyms

  • 栏— railing, barrier
  • 杆— pole, rod

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The carriage's crossbar (轼) provided stability during travel.
  • He grasped the handrail (凭轼) as the carriage moved.
  • Ancient chariots featured a prominent front rail (车轼).
  • The term appears in classical texts describing carriage design (轼之礼).

Collocations

  • Carriage crossbar(车轼)
  • Hold the handrail(凭轼)
  • ritual of touching the crossbar(轼礼)
  • front crossbar(前轼)
  • crossbar wood(轼木)
  • step on the crossbar(登轼)

Idioms

  • Lean on the crossbar and gaze afar(凭轼结辙)
  • Step on the crossbar to look ahead(登轼而望)
  • Touching the crossbar in respect(轼闾之敬)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient Chinese carriages and chariots, the 轼 was the horizontal handrail at the front that passengers would hold for stability.
  • The character is famously associated with Su Shi (苏轼), one of the greatest poets of the Song dynasty, whose courtesy name was Zizhan (子瞻).
  • In ritual contexts, touching the 轼 was a gesture of respect when passing certain places or people.

FAQ