悲剧

The Chinese word 悲剧 (bēijù) for "tragedy" is composed of two characters: 悲 (bēi), meaning "sadness" or "sorrow," and 剧 (jù), meaning "drama" or "play." Together, these characters convey the idea of a dramatic work that evokes feelings of sadness or grief.The character 悲 (bēi) has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the oracle bone script of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). In its original form, the character depicted a person with a bowed head and tears streaming down their face. Over time, the character evolved to its current form, which still retains the basic elements of the original pictograph.The character 剧 (jù) also has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the Warring States period (475–221 BCE). In its original form, the character depicted a person performing on stage. Over time, the character evolved to its current form, which still retains the basic elements of the original pictograph.When combined, the characters 悲 (bēi) and 剧 (jù) form the word 悲剧 (bēijù), which is used to refer to a dramatic work that evokes feelings of sadness or grief. This word is often used to describe plays, movies, or other works of art that deal with serious or tragic themes.