没想到
méi​xiǎng​dào HSK4

unexpectedly

没 méi, mò not have Simplified

Original meaning: reach into the water to grab something

Simplified form of 沒. Depicts a hand reaching in the water to grab something. The meaning later expanded to "drown", "disappear", and "not have".

Components

氵
氵 Meaning component
shui, shuǐ water

氵 is a component form of 水.

回
回 IconicSimplified component
huí return

Depicts the rippling surface of water.

又
又 Iconic component
yòu hand

Depicts a hand.

Character Evolution

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
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle Chinese
Unicodemət

說文解字

《說文》：“沒，沈也。从水，从。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.208-209
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

想 xiǎng think

Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 相 represents the sound.

Components

心
心 Meaning component
xīn, xin heart
相
相 Sound component
xiāng, xiàng mutual

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartsjangX[s]aŋʔ think

說文解字

《說文》：“想，冀思也。从心，相聲。”

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

到 dào, dao go to

Phonosemantic compound. 至 represents the meaning and 刂 represents the sound.

Components

至
至 Meaning component
zhì reach

Depicts an arrow arriving at its target.

刂
刂 Sound component
dāo knife

刂 is a component form of 刀.

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
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
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (1)

倒

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagarttawHtˤaw[k]-s arrive

說文解字

《說文》：“到，至也。从至，刀聲。”

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

沒 méi, mò not have Traditional

Original meaning: reach into the water to grab something

Depicts a hand reaching in the water to grab something. The meaning later expanded to "drown", "disappear", and "not have".

Components

氵
氵 Meaning component
shui, shuǐ water

氵 is a component form of 水.

回
回 Iconic component
huí return

Depicts the rippling surface of water.

Change in form
Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to 回 than it was in ancient scripts.
又
又 Iconic component
yòu hand

Depicts a hand.

Character Evolution

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
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (1)

殁

Meaning (1)

殁

Remnant (1)

殁

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartmwotmˤut to dive, drown, die

說文解字

《說文》：“沒，沈也。从水，从。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.208-209
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)