惜

xī
#1,510 most
frequent character
to cherish, to begrudge, to pity

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

惜 has 忄 heart and feeling as the meaning part, with 昔 xī giving the sound. It first meant unfortunate or regrettable, then grew to pity and compassion. The sense cherish was borrowed only for the sound.

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Homophones

HSK 3
西xī
west
吸xī
inhale, breathe, absorb, suck in
悉xī
in all cases, know
牺xī
sacrifice
稀xī
rare, uncommon, watery, sparse

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