专责
zhuān​zé

specific responsibility

专 zhuān monopolize Simplified

Original meaning: turn

Depicts a hand (寸) spinning a wheel (叀). Based on the original meaning "turn", now written as 轉. The current meaning is a phonetic loan. The simplified character 专 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 專.

Components

叀
叀 IconicSimplified component
zhuān, huì spinning wheel
寸
寸 IconicSimplified component
cùn, cun (hand), inch

Depicts a hand.

Component uses

Sound (2 of 4 verified)

传转砖抟

Meaning (1)

转

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode

责 zé responsibility Simplified

Original meaning: taxation

Simplified form of 責. Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 朿 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "taxation". The meaning later shifted to "responsibility".

Components

朿
朿 Sound component
cì thorn, stab
Change in form
Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to 朿 than it was in ancient scripts.
貝
貝 Meaning component
bèi sea shell

In ancient China shells were used as currency.

Change in meaning
貝 hints at the original meaning of 责, "taxation", which is no longer the most common meaning of 责 in modern Mandarin.

Component uses

Sound (1 of 8 verified)

债绩啧渍碛赜帻箦

Meaning (0 of 1 verified)

债

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode

專 zhuān monopolize Traditional

Original meaning: turn

Depicts a hand (寸) spinning a wheel (叀). Based on the original meaning "turn", now written as 轉. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components

叀
叀 Iconic component
zhuān, huì spinning wheel
寸
寸 Iconic component
cùn, cun (hand), inch

Depicts a hand.


Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn ~700 BC
Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (3 of 7 verified)

轉蓴磚鱄團摶傳

Meaning (1)

轉

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagarttsywenton exclusively

說文解字

《說文》：“專，六寸簿也。从寸，叀聲。一曰專，紡專。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

責 zé responsibility Traditional

Original meaning: taxation

Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 朿 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "taxation". The meaning later shifted to "responsibility".

Components

朿
朿 Sound component
cì thorn, stab
Change in form
Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to 朿 than it was in ancient scripts.
貝
貝 Meaning component
bèi sea shell

In ancient China shells were used as currency.

Change in meaning
貝 hints at the original meaning of 責, "taxation", which is no longer the most common meaning of 責 in modern Mandarin.

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Shang ~1100 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Qin 221-206 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (3 of 6 verified)

積蹟績嘖債漬

Meaning (0 of 1 verified)

債

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagarttsreaks-tˤrek demand payment
tsreaks-tˤrek blame
tsreaHs-tˤrek-s debt

說文解字

《說文》：“責，求也。从貝，朿聲。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)