[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Society-and-Culture \ #Interpersonal-Relationships # 妃 fēi concubine ## Components [[女 (nǚ)]] [[女 nǚ]] [[己 (jǐ)]] ## Meaning Today, "妃 (fēi)" mainly refers to a consort or concubine, especially in historical contexts. It can also be used poetically or in literature to refer to a wife or a woman of noble status. ## History Its original meaning is "spouse" or "wife," specifically referring to the concubine of an emperor. Is a compound ideogram. In oracle bone and bronze inscriptions, it is depicted as a woman kneeling, indicating its relation to women. The character also includes the element "已 (yǐ)" or "子 (zǐ)," indicating that the wife is a woman who bears children for oneself. In clerical script and regular script, the character is composed of "女" and "己," representing a wife as one's own woman. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[妃 fēi - ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[妃 fēi - bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[妃 fēi - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[妃 fēi - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[妃 fēi - reg.svg]]