绣花针
xiù​huā​zhēn

embroidery needle

绣 xiù embroider Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 秀 represents the sound. Simplified form of 繡.

Components

纟
纟 Meaning component
mì silk

纟 is a component form of 糸.

秀
秀 Sound component
xiù elegant, excellent

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

花 huā, hua flower

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 化 represents the sound.

Components

艹
艹 Meaning component
cao, cǎo grass

艹 is a component form of 艸.

化
化 Sound component
huà change

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartxwaeqʷʰˤra flower (n.)

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart

针 zhēn needle Simplified

Simplified form of 針. Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 十 represents the sound.

Components

钅
钅 Meaning component
jīn metal

钅 is a component form of 金.

十
十 Sound component
shí ten
Change in sound

Historical Pronunciations

Sources

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

繡 xiù embroider Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 糹 represents the meaning and 肅 represents the sound.

Components

糹
糹 Meaning component
mì silk

糹 is a component form of 糸.

肅
肅 Sound component
sù pay respects

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 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
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartsjuwH[s]iw(k)-sembroider
Zhengzhangsɯwɢs
Unicodesiòu

說文解字

五采備也。从糸肅聲。

Sources

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

針 zhēn needle Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 釒 represents the meaning and 十 represents the sound.

Components

釒
釒 Meaning component
jīn metal
十
十 Sound component
shí ten
Change in sound

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagarttsyimt.[k]əm needle

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart