yì
right conduct
How it’s built
Phonosemantic compound. 羊 represents the meaning and 我 represents the sound. In ancient China sheep (羊) were associated with goodness and fortune, which is why 羊 is a component in characters like 美 (beautiful), 祥 (auspicious), 善 (benevolent), and 義 (justice). The simplified character 义 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 義.
Through the ages
Appears in
Characters that use 义 as a component, most common first.