尼龙搭扣
ní​lóng​dā​kòu

velcro

尼 ní, nǐ Buddhist nun

Original meaning: stop; approach

Depicts one person (匕) carrying another person (尸) on their back. Based on the original meaning "stop; approach". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components

尸
尸 Iconic component
shī sitting person
匕
匕 Iconic component
bǐ, pìn spoon, (person)

Character Evolution

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
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (2 of 9 verified)

呢泥妮昵伲怩旎铌坭

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartnejXnˤərʔ to stop
nejHnˤərʔ-s to stop, obstruct
nrijnr[əj] near, close

說文解字

《說文》：“尼，從後近之。从尸，匕聲。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.675-676
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

龙 lóng dragon Simplified

Pictograph of a dragon curled up. The simplified character 龙 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 龍.

Component uses

Sound (3 of 16 verified)

庞笼垄拢宠胧聋咙陇珑茏泷垅砻眬栊

Meaning (1 of 3 verified)

龚珑龛

Sources

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

搭 dā join together

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 荅 represents the sound.

Components

扌
扌 Meaning component
shou, shǒu hand

扌 is a component form of 手.

荅
荅 Sound component
dā, dá, tà small bean

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangtuːb
tʰoːb

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang

扣 kòu knock Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 口 represents the sound. Simplified form of 釦.

Components

扌
扌 Meaning component
shou, shǒu hand

扌 is a component form of 手.

口
口 Sound component
kǒu, kou mouth

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

筘

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld Chinese
Zhengzhangkʰoːʔ
kʰoːs
Unicodekǒu
kòu

說文解字

牽馬也。从手口聲。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

龍 lóng dragon Traditional

Pictograph of a dragon curled up.

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 Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn ~700 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Xin 9-23 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
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
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (3 of 13 verified)

籠聾攏瀧瓏隴龐朧矓蘢壟嚨寵

Meaning (1 of 3 verified)

龔瓏龕

Iconic (1)

龖

Unknown (0 of 1 verified)

𪚥

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartljowng[mə]-roŋ dragon
maewngmˤroŋ variegated

說文解字

《說文》：“龍，鱗蟲之長。能幽能明，能細能巨，能短能長，春分而登天，秋分而潛淵。从肉，飛之形，童省聲。”

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)

釦 button Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 釒 represents the meaning and 口 represents the sound.

Components

釒
釒 Meaning component
jīn metal

釒 is a component form of 金.

口
口 Sound component
kǒu, kou mouth

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangkʰoːʔ

說文解字

金飾器口。从金从口，口亦聲。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)