休息

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 休息 (xiūxi) for "rest" is composed of two characters: 休 (xiū) and 息 (xī). The character 休 originally meant "to stop" or "to cease," and it is often used in the sense of "to take a break" or "to relax." The character 息 originally meant "to breathe," and it is often used in the sense of "to rest" or "to sleep." When these two characters are combined, they form the word 休息, which has the meaning of "to rest" or "to take a break." This word is commonly used in everyday speech and writing, and it is an important part of the Chinese language.