xī
觿
ancient bone awl; ritual adult symbol
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
ancient bone awl or bodkin used to untie knots; ritual object symbolizing adulthood
archaicIn ancient Chinese ritual culture (particularly Zhou dynasty), wearing a 觿 (along with 韘, archer's thumb ring) symbolized a male's coming of age (usually at 20). The tool was practical for untying knots in clothing or belts, but evolved into a symbolic ornament made of jade or bone.
Gǔ古
dài代
guì贵
zú族
nán男
zǐ子
nián年
mǎn满
èr二
shí十
xíng行
guàn冠
lǐ礼
，
kāi开
shǐ始
pèi佩
xī觿
。
In ancient times, aristocratic men would undergo the coronation ceremony at age twenty and begin wearing the xi as a symbol of adulthood.
Zhè这
jiàn件
chū出
tǔ土
de的
yù玉
xī觿
zhì制
zuò作
jīng精
měi美
，
xiǎn显
rán然
shì是
lǐ礼
yí仪
qì器
wù物
ér而
fēi非
shí实
yòng用
gōng工
jù具
。
This excavated jade xi is exquisitely crafted, clearly serving as a ritual object rather than a practical tool.
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Xī觿
nián年
shì是
zhǐ指
nán男
zǐ子
chéng成
nián年
de的
nián年
líng龄
。
'Xi year' refers to the age when a man reaches adulthood.