wèi

guard

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
行 meaning component

  Meaning component

xíngháng

  

walk

韋 sound,iconic component

  Sound Iconic component

wéi

  

(surround a city), tanned leather

Depicts feet walking around city walls.

Evolution

衛 Bronze script Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze script

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
衛 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
衛 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
衛 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
衛 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

wèi

guard, protect, defend; to guard; to protect; to defend; abbr. for 衛生|卫生, hygiene; health; abbr. for 衛生間|卫生间, toilet

() 

Wèi

surname Wei; vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty (1066-221 BC), located in present day Henan and Hebei Provinces

Most common words with 衛
Freq.
Word
Meaning

卫生

health

卫星

moon

大卫

David (name)

to guard

保卫

to defend