翕

xī

agree; to close; to gather

Meaning

Physical closure: The act of shutting or snapping closed (e.g., lips, a door, or a shutter).
Gathering/Collection: Centripetal motion; pulling disparate elements from the periphery toward a center (often applied to breath, wind, or spiritual forces).
Convergence and Agreement: In abstract or social contexts, the closing of a gap between multiple elements to occupy the same conceptual space.

Grammar and usage

Verb: Functions as a verb of action (to close, to gather).
Modifier: In poetic or technical contexts, it may function as an adjective describing something compact, tightly drawn, or enclosed.

Distinctions

Contrast with 同: While 同 often describes a state of being the same, 翕 implies a process—the movement from openness or distance toward a closed or unified state.

Translator notes

When this glyph is used to denote "agreement," it suggests a unifying action rather than a static consensus.

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