懂中文 Dong Chinese

耐

nài

endure

Original meaning: 

make the head bald as punishment

Pictograph of a beard (而) being removed from the face by a hand (寸). Based on the original meaning "make the head bald as punishment", now written as 髡. The meaning later shifted to "tolerate" and "endure".

Components
而 iconic component

而  Iconic component

ér

  

and

Depicts a beard.

寸 iconic component

寸  Iconic component

cùn

  

(hand), inch

Depicts a hand.

Evolution

耐 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
耐 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
耐 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

耐  

nài

endure, bear; resist; patient; capable of enduring; able to tolerate; durable; hardy; resistant

Most common words with 耐
Freq.
Word
Meaning

耐心

patience

耐

patient

忍耐

to endure

能耐

ability

不耐烦

impatience