秉 bǐng to grasp
to grasp; to hold
How to remember 秉: 禾 grain + 彐 snout = to grasp. A goat pushes its snout into the sack of grain, so the farmer jumps forward to grasp the sack before it is empty.
Component breakdown
秉 = 禾 grain + 彐 snout
- 禾 grain
- 彐 snout
A goat pushes its snout into the sack of grain, so the farmer jumps forward to grasp the sack before it is empty.
How it is used
- To hold/grasp, hence to uphold (a principle) - 秉持 (bǐngchí) to uphold/maintain (a belief), 秉承 (bǐngchéng) to act on / carry forward (a will, tradition), 秉公 (bǐnggōng) to act justly.
- 秉烛夜谈 (bǐngzhú-yètán) means to talk late into the night by candlelight. Formal/literary.