伊
particle; surname; pronoun; transliteration
Meanings
3 senses · 15 examplesparticle
particle used before words to strengthen tone or emotional color
literaryClassical Chinese usage. Commonly found in set phrases like 伊始 (beginning) or 伊于胡底 (where will it end).
At the beginning of the new year, everything takes on a new look.
If things continue this way, where will they end?
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Whose effort made this success possible?
The road is near; walk and you will arrive.
In ancient times, the former kings were able to manifest brilliant virtue.
noun
surname Yi
nameA Chinese family name.
My colleague's surname is Yi.
Yi Nengjing is a famous singer.
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Mr. Yi will come to the meeting tomorrow.
This surname is pronounced Yi.
The surname Yi is relatively rare in China.
pronoun
he; she; this person (archaic, used in early 20th century literature)
archaicUsed in literature around the May Fourth Movement (1919); specifically used for females before the character 她 became standard. In classical Chinese, it can mean 'this' or 'that'.
The one I seek is on the other side of the water.
Novels from the May Fourth period often used 'yi' to refer to females.
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I regarded him as a brother.
At that time, she was still young and unfamiliar with the ways of the world.
I strongly agree with what he said.