貞
chaste
貞 is composed of 卜(to divine) and 貝, but 貝 is actually the variant of 鼎(a three legged cauldron), so 貞 should be composed of 卜 and 鼎. In ancient China, 鼎 is not only a container for food, possession of 鼎 is often associated with power and dominion over the land, so the 鼎 is often used as an implicit symbolism for power. Also, before emperors made their own decisions, they will ask the god by divination, therefore, 貞 has the meaning of investigation and research, but such meaning has been replaced by 偵, now 貞 means divination. On the other hand, ancient Chinese think that, divination needs faith, so 貞 also means chaste and faith.
Vocabulary of 貞
- 貞節 (chastity, virginity of a woman)
- 堅貞 (faithful, chaste)
Classification
Related Characters:
7貝
shellfish9貞chaste9負undertake10貢
tribute10財
wealth11貨commodity11販
trade11貪greed11貫through11責duty11貶
diminish12賁ornament12買buy12貼
stick12貰
loan12貴expensive12費spend12貽bequeath12貸borrow money13賃employ13賊thief14賑aid14賏necklace15賣sell15賬bill15賞
reward15賤lowly15賢virtuous15賜confer15質pledge15賭gamble17賽competition19贈present