Zi:为

From Wenlin Dictionaries

(F​) [wèi] (为​) for, for the sake of, in order to; ​为 because of; 为​ why? [wéi] do/make; serve as; be, ​为 become [é] [wěi] cf. ​/​

2 monosyllabic entries in The ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary (namespace Ci):

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4e3a.png
The simple-form character 为 (4 strokes) is an abbrev. of the full-form character ​ (9 strokes), keeping 2 of the full-form dots (​), and replacing the other strokes with a shape like ​ (2 strokes).
    Note: The stroke order of ​ (p,hzg) in the simple form 为 is not the same as that of the independent character ​ lì ‘strength’ (hzg,p); in the simple form 为 (d,p,hzg,d) the first and last dots of the full-form ​ are retained, and the 2nd and 4th strokes (P,HZG) of the full form ​ (d,P,hg,hg,HZG,d,d,d,d) become ​ (p,hzg).
    The full-form character ​ (9 strokes) is an intermediary abbrev. of the older form ​ (12 strokes), replacing the old upper component ​/​ (4 strokes) with a single dot (​); formerly also wr. ​𫞟 (with 2 dots), or with a top like ​ or ​/​ (YTZ); the form ​ is more traditional, since it corresponds more closely to the Seal (stroke for stroke); cf. ​.
    The Shuōwén Seal form of 为/​(​𫞟) wéi/wèi ‘mother monkey’ (or ​/​ ‘rhesus macaque’) is said to depict the animal (but see below), with the upper component ​(​) zhǎo ‘hand/claw’ indicating that such monkeys are good at scratching; formerly wr. ​𢏽(​𦥮), suggesting claws (​), or by another interpretation, two monkeys face-to-face (grooming each other).
    Compare: ​(​), ​𦥑, ​(​𠬞), ​𢏽(​𦥮), ​𢏒(​𠂹𡍮), ​𢦠(​), ​, ​𥝢(​), ​𢐴.
    Older graphs associated with ​/​󰀂 are said to have ​(​𧰼) xiàng ‘elephant’ below (​), with ​/​ above for the hand of the rider/driver/mahout (​); perhaps ​ mǔhóu in the SW gloss is not ‘monkey’ at all, but an old forgotten wr. of “mahout” (which comes into English from Hindi mahavat/mahaut, Skt. mahamatra; Burmese oozie); cf. ​ mǎhóu, (HDC:) ​.
    Compare: ​(​𧰼) xiàng ‘elephant’.
    Compare: 为/​ wèi : 为​ wèile, 为​ wèizhe ‘for; in order to’, 为​ wèishenme ‘why?’, ​为 yīnwèi ‘because’.
    Compare: 为/​ wéi : ​为 chéngwéi ‘become’, ​为 rènwéi ‘think/believe that’, ​为 zuòwéi ‘conduct; deed; accomplish’.
    Compare: ​/​ bàn ‘handle/do’.
►references: Wieger:49h; Karlgren:AD1313,GS27; Hànyǔ Dà Zìdiǎn:1.44.2; Bǐshùn Guīfàn:010.0.09; Wáng(1993):84; EDOC:0
►components:
►Cantonese: waih\ waih-
►stroke 为 (... strokes)   
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►list words containing 为 (most common words first)
Unicode: U+4E3A
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