屈 qū to bend
to bend; to flex; to feel wronged
How it came to be
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
In the bronze form, a tail gives the meaning and the other part the sound.
用法
- To bend/submit, or to be wronged: 屈服 (qūfú) yield/submit, 屈膝 (qūxī) bend the knee (submit), 不屈 (bùqū) unyielding.
- 委屈 (wěiqu) = to feel wronged/aggrieved. 屈指可数 (qūzhǐ-kěshǔ) = so few you can count on your fingers.
- 理屈词穷 (lǐqū-cíqióng) = to run out of arguments, be in the wrong.