Taxonomy of meanings for 徐:　　

  • 徐 xú (OC: lja MC: ziɔ) 似魚切 平 廣韻：【緩也説文安行也亦州名古之彭國禹爲徐州秦屬泗水郡漢爲郡復置徐州又姓自顓頊之後春秋時徐偃王行仁義爲楚文王所滅其後氏焉出東海髙平東莞琅邪濮陽五望似魚切四 】
    • SLOW
      • nabactslowing down
      • v[adN]nonreferentialthe slow
      • vadNgentle (wind etc), slow
      • vadVslowly, softly, gently; with slow emphasis; at one's own pace, gradually
      • vi.red:adVslowly, at one's convenience, without any hurry
      • vi.redproceed very gently, slowly; going along gently
      • vibe slow and comfortable; be mild
      • vichangeslow down
      • vtoNcausativeslow down, calm down, stabilise
      • vicomparativemove too slowlyCH
    • grammaticalised>ALL
      • STATES
        • nprA state, older even than that of Zhōu, a powerful state at the early stage that was able to challenge the Zhōu, but finally destroyed in 512.
        • npr.adNthat of XúLZ

      Additional information about 徐

      說文解字: 【徐】，安行也。从彳、余聲。 【似魚切】

        Criteria
      • QUICK

        1. The most current general word for anything that moves at high speed is sù 速 (ant. chí 遲 "so slowly that one becomes late").

        2. Jí 疾 (ant. xú 徐 "slowly") typically refers to urgent speedy action of limited duration.

        3. Jí 亟 (ant huǎn 緩 "too slowly") refers to maximum speed possible under prevailing circumstances.

        4. Jíé 捷 adds to the notion of maximum speed the nuance of deftness and general skill.

        5. Piāo 飄 refers specifically to the speed of wind.

        6. Xùn 迅 emphasises high speed and abruptness and eruptive violence, often in natural processes.

        7. Bù rì 不日 without delay, in a short time, quickly.

        NB: Kuài 快 came to mean "quickly" soon after Han times.

      • SLOW

        1. The most generally used word for slowness is probably xú 徐 (ant. jí 疾 "fast"), which refers to an indifference on the part of the agent concerning the speed he is making, and the word has no negative connotations, indeed the reference is often to pleasant sauntering slow insouciance.

        2. Huǎn 緩 "slowly, at one's own speed" (ant. jí 急 "fast and urgent") tends to suggest a self-indulgent absence of haste which may call for criticism.

        3. Chí 遲 (ant. sù 速 "quickly and smoothly") focusses on a reprehensible, often inept, but possibly unavoidable, failure to make proper speed or to arrive in time.

        4. Màn 慢 (ant. qǐn 勤 "with polite expediency") is deliberate and deliberately offensive dilatory behaviour; and the word is somewhat marginal in this group.

        Word relations
      • Ant: (SLOW)疾/QUICK Jí 疾 (ant. xú 徐 "slowly") typically refers to urgent speedy action of limited duration.
      • Assoc: (SLOW)安/PEACEFUL The dominant general word for peacefulness is ān 安 (wēi 危 "in imminent danger"), but in addition the word also often has considerable philosophical depth and commonly refers to a deep state of unruffled inner serenity in harmony with the outer world.
      • Assoc: (SLOW)緩/SLOW Huǎn 緩 "slowly, at one's own speed" (ant. jí 急 "fast and urgent") tends to suggest a self-indulgent absence of haste which may call for criticism.