[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Anatomy-and-Living \ #States-and-Conditions # 微 wēi tiny, miniature ## Components [[彳 (chì)]] [[山 shān]] [[山 (shān)]] [[攵 (pū)]] [[一 yī]] [[一 (yī)]] [[几 jǐ]] [[几 (jī)]] ## Meaning Today, "微" generally means "tiny," "slight," or "subtle." It's commonly used to describe something small in scale or degree. For instance, "微笑" (wéixiào) means "smile," where "微" conveys the sense of something small or slight. It can also refer to something subtle or nuanced, like "微妙" (wēimiào), meaning "subtle" or "delicate." Additionally, "微" can describe something minor or trivial, as in "微信" (wēixìn), meaning "WeChat," where "微" denotes something small, and "信" means "message" or "communication." ## History "微" is a character formed by both semantic and phonetic elements. In ancient inscriptions like oracle bone script and bronze script, it was written as "教," which signified something small or subtle. Later, the character "行" (to walk) was added to it, suggesting actions that are subtle or hidden. The phonetic component "彳" suggests the sound of the character. In clerical script, it evolved into the current form "微." The original meaning of "微" was to move secretly or covertly. It extended to mean subtle and profound. It's also used to express something minor or small in scale, such as "微恙" (slight illness) or "防微杜渐" (to guard against minor issues before they become serious). Additionally, it can indicate a low or humble position, as in "卑微" (humble and lowly) or "低微" (low and humble). ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[微 wēi - ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[微 wēi - bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[微 wēi - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[微 wēi - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[微 wēi - reg.svg]]