委 wěi entrust
to appoint; to commission; to send
How it came to be
Grain bending over a kneeling woman. The stalk droops under its own weight, giving way rather than standing up, and handing a thing over is that same yielding.
How it is used
- To entrust/appoint - 委托 (wěituō) entrust, 委派 (wěipài) delegate, 委员 (wěiyuán) committee member, 委员会 (wěiyuánhuì) committee.
- 委屈 (wěiqu) = to feel wronged/hard done by (a very common everyday emotion word): 受委屈 (shòu wěiqu) suffer a grievance.
- 委婉 (wěiwǎn) = tactful, roundabout (of speech). Read wēi in 虚与委蛇 (xūyǔ-wēiyí).