Basic Meaning

The Chinese character “雪” primarily represents snow, the ice crystals that fall from the sky. Composed of the “雨” (rain) radical and “彐 (jì)”, its pictographic form depicts snowflakes descending from the sky. The character represents both a natural phenomenon and the ideas of purity and beauty.

When combined with other characters, “雪” can form new characters conveying different ideas:

  • 雪花 (xuěhuā, snowflake): Snow + flower, representing snowflakes falling from the sky;
  • 雪人 (xuěrén, snowman): Snow + person, representing a human figure made of snow;
  • 消雪 (xiāoxuě, melt snow): Snow + eliminate, representing snow melting or disappearing.

These combinations illustrate how Chinese characters use “雪” as the core to depict natural phenomena and their transformations.

Extended Meanings and Polysemy

“雪” has rich extended meanings in Chinese:

  • Natural phenomenon: e.g., snow scene, heavy snow, drifting snow;
  • Purity and beauty: e.g., “white snow everywhere” (白雪皑皑), symbolizing purity and elegance;
  • Removal and cleansing: e.g., “redress injustice” (雪冤), “avenge fully” (雪恨), symbolizing clearing negativity or restoring justice.

Cultural and Symbolic Significance

“雪” carries deep symbolic meanings in Chinese culture:

  • Nature and season: Represents winter, cold, and tranquility, widely appearing in poetry, painting, and folklore;
  • Virtue and moral qualities: Symbolizes purity, nobility, and steadfastness, e.g., “plum blossoms compete with snow” (梅雪争春), reflecting resilience and virtue;
  • Emotion and literature: Represents longing, melancholy, or hope, often used to create atmosphere and emotional depth.

Usage and Context

  • Nouns: snowflake, heavy snow, snowy landscape;
  • Verbs: snowing, falling snow, melting snow;
  • Culture and literature: Frequently appears in poetry and idioms to convey themes of purity, winter, or cleansing.

Summary

The character “雪” is rich and versatile in meaning, from its original sense of snow and natural phenomena to its extended meanings of purity, virtue, and cultural symbolism. Its use in different contexts not only conveys the beauty of nature but also reflects the Chinese cultural admiration for purity, nobility, and resilience.