Zi:义

义(F​義) [yì] justice (​正义); just/proper/right; meaning (​意义 yìyì); doctrine/theory, -ism (​主义) [yí] [xī] cf. ​義

One monosyllabic entry in The ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary (namespace Ci):

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The simple-form character 义 yì ‘justice’ (3 strokes) is an abbrev. of the full-form character ​義 (13 strokes), keeping the first stroke ​丶 (centered), but replacing the remaining 12 strokes with ​乂 (2 strokes), which is an old character ​乂(​刈) yì ‘mow/govern’ (phonosemantic).
    Note: Today mainly 义/​義 yì ‘just/proper/right’ (​正义 ‘justice’), ​意义 yìyì ‘meaning’, ​主义 ‘doctrine/theory, -ism’ (​共​产​主义, ​资​本​主义, ​帝​国​主义).
    Note: The old primary meaning of 义/​義 is taken to be that of modern ​仪/​儀 yí ‘etiquette/manners; ceremony’ (​仪​式 yíshì); note the tonal difference, old ​義 yí, vs. new ​義 yì; but the extended meanings of old ​義 yí ‘moral standard’ blend into those of ​義 yì ‘appropriate’.
    The Shuōwén Seal form of ​義 yí ‘impressive/dignified personal etiquette/manners; ceremony; moral standard’ combines ​𦍌/​羊 yáng ‘goat/sheep’ (as in ​善), and ​我 wǒ ‘I/we’ (phonosemantic): a proper sense of self (restraint/denial) is the source of an impressive/dignified conduct/manner; formerly also wr. ​羛, later wr. ​儀, cf. ​仪.
    Note: Usage of the component ​羊 here relates to the meanings ‘good (tasty, gentle, auspicious, respectful)’ evident in other compound characters (such as ​善, ​养/​養, ​美, ​茍, ​详/​詳, cf. ​祥); the component ​我 here indicates that a proper sense of self is the source of an impressive/dignified manner (​威​儀​出​於​己).
    Compare: ​议/​議 yì ‘discuss’; ​宜(​宐) yí (as in ​适​宜 shìyí ‘suitable’).
    GFC: 义 : yì : (​名) ​公​正​的、​有​利​于​社​会​大​众​的​道​理 (​大义​灭​亲, 义​不​容​辞, ​正义, ​道义); (​形​容) ​符​合​正义​或​大​众​利​益​的 (义​战, 义​师, 义​演); (​名) ​意​思, ​意义 (​词义, ​同义​词, ​歧义, ​定义); …
►references: Wieger:71q; Henshall:645; Karlgren:AD204; Hànyǔ Dà Zìdiǎn:1.42.10; Bǐshùn Guīfàn:004.0.03; Wáng(1993):190; EDOC:0
►components: ​丶​乂
►Cantonese: yih-
►stroke 义 (... strokes)   
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Unicode: U+4E49
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