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精jīng

Character evolution

精

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Simplified · Today

Shuowen

精 (jīng). Composed of 米 (grain/rice) on the left and 青 (blue/green, here used for its phonetic value and perhaps suggesting purity) on the right, together depicting the finest, most refined part of grain—the essence extracted from rice. The original meaning is "refined rice," the choice part of the harvest, which extended metaphorically to mean "essence," "pure," "精微" (exquisite), and "精熟" (mastery). This character is written with grain and the phonetic/qualifier 青 because the finest grain represents purity and completeness.

Pinyin

jīng· HSK 2