忌讳
jì huì · HSK 7
taboo
🚫🤐 忌 = avoid (己 self over 心 heart) + 讳 = shun saying (讠 speech) — a taboo
Both halves mean to steer clear: 忌 is an avoidance felt in the heart, 讳 is a thing you avoid speaking aloud. Together: something forbidden to do or even mention.
忌 — heart 心 + self 己 (phonetic)
A semantic-phonetic compound: 心 ('heart/mind') gives the meaning, while 己 ('self') supplies the sound. The heart component points to inner feelings like dread or aversion, yielding senses such as 'to fear,' 'to avoid,' or 'taboo.' From there it extended to 'jealousy' and 'anniversary of a death.'