直

• Linear: Straight; not curved or bent.
• Vertical: Erect; upright, specifically in alignment with gravity (architectural or bodily contexts).
• Ethical: Honesty, candor, and straightforwardness.
• Technical: A standard straight measure or a specific instrument of measurement.

• Directness: Moving from point A to B without detour (spatial directness).
• Immediacy: Acting without hesitation or intermediate steps (temporal directness).
• Continuity: Functioning as "continuously," "all the way," or "persistently" (action without interruption).

Contrast with 正 (zhèng): While both may be translated as "upright," 正 generally implies adherence to a standard of correctness, legitimacy, or centering. 直 emphasizes the absence of deviation or bending; in moral contexts, this can imply being blunt, uncompromising, or "stiff."

Tang-period reading: //djhiək //djhiə̀ (Fanqie: 除力).

When encountering this glyph, determine if it is functioning as:

1. A descriptor of form (unbent vs. vertical).

2. A character judgment (honest vs. blunt/uncompromising).

3. A modifier of action (without detour vs. without interruption).