一

yī

one; a, an; alone

Meaning

  • Numeric: One; single; a/an.
  • Exclusive/Restrictive: Alone; only; sole.
  • Ontological: Unity; the Absolute; the primordial source (particularly in early philosophical or Daoist contexts).
  • Collective: The whole; totality.

Grammar and usage

  • Indefinite Marker: Used to introduce a new entity into the discourse (e.g., "a certain [x]").
  • Distributive/Qualitative: Indicates "one by one" or emphasizes uniqueness over quantity.
  • Manner of Action: Signals simultaneity or a single, unbroken instance of an action ("all at once," "in one go").

Distinctions

  • Quantitative vs. Qualitative: Distinction between cardinal count (1) and the sense of being "single" or "unique."
  • Singularity vs. Totality: Depending on whether the governed noun is collective or individual, may signify a single fragment or the entirety of a thing.

History and forms

  • Variants: U+5F0C and U+58F9 are graphical variants that do not alter the semantic range.

Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.