不易

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 不易 (bù yì) is composed of two parts: the negation prefix 不 (bù) and the character 易 (yì), which means "easy" or "change." Together, they form the compound word 不易 (bù yì), which means "unchanging" or "immutable."The character 易 (yì) is itself composed of two parts: the radical 日 (rì), which means "sun," and the phonetic component 弋 (yì), which is a pictograph of a bird flying. The combination of these two components suggests the idea of change, as the sun moves across the sky and birds fly through the air.The negation prefix 不 (bù) negates the meaning of the character 易 (yì), resulting in the opposite meaning of "unchanging" or "immutable." This compound word is often used in philosophical and literary contexts to refer to things that are constant and unchanging, such as the principles of nature or the laws of the universe.In addition to its literal meaning, 不易 (bù yì) also has a figurative meaning of "difficult" or "not easy." This is because things that are unchanging are often difficult to change or alter. For example, it is difficult to change the laws of nature or the principles of the universe.The word 不易 (bù yì) is a versatile character with a rich history and a variety of meanings. It is an important word for HSK learners to understand, as it is used in a wide range of contexts and can add depth and nuance to their understanding of the Chinese language.