微弱
wéiruò · HSK 7
faint
🕯️ 微 = tiny + 弱 = weak; together it means barely-there faint and feeble
微 (wéi) marks something minute or slight, and 弱 (ruò) means weak. Stacked, they describe a signal, light, or pulse so slight it is almost gone, like a dying candle flame.
弱 — two 弓 (bows) + two 彡 (feathers/strokes)
Originally depicted two bent bows with drooping feathers or fine hairs, suggesting something pliant and weak. The doubled 弓 emphasizes flexibility, while 彡 evokes delicate, thin strands. The image of a soft, bending bow extended to mean 'weak,' 'frail,' or 'young.'