我 is the character for “I; me”. It is made out of 7 strokes.
| Chinese Character | Simplified Version | Bopomofo | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我 | 我 | ㄨㄛˇ | wǒ |
Definition
I; me; my
Historical Origins
The Chinese character 我 (wǒ, “I”) has its origins as a pictogram depicting a trident-like weapon or tool, as seen in its oracle bone script form 𢦐. Scholars such as Jao and Zeng (1985) suggest it resembles a three-bladed polearm, distinct from 戈 (gē, “polearm”), which depicts a single-bladed weapon. This trident-like form has been found at archaeological sites and was likely used in ancient combat.
Over time, the character 我 was borrowed for its sound to represent the first-person pronoun “I” as early as the oracle bone script period. Folk etymology interprets the character as an ideograph combining a hand (手, shǒu) holding a weapon (戈, gē), symbolizing self-defense or the protection of oneself, metaphorically linking it to the concept of self or “I.”
Vocabulary with the Character 我
| Chinese | Bopomofo | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 自我 | ㄗˋ ㄨㄛˇ | zìwǒ | self |
| 我行我素 | ㄨㄛˇ ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄨㄛˇ ㄙㄨˋ | wǒ xíng wǒ sù | to go one’s own way |
| 忘我 | ㄨㄤˋ ㄨㄛˇ | wàngwǒ | selflessness; forget oneself |
| 我國 | ㄨㄛˇ ㄍㄨㄛˊ | wǒguó | my country; our country |
| 我家 | ㄨㄛˇ ㄐㄧㄚ | wǒjiā | my home; my family |
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