zhuì​zì

compose

zhui patch together Simplified

Simplified form of . Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Originally written as , which depicted a person with their hands and feet tied up.

Components

Meaning component
silk

is a component form of .

SoundIconic component
zhuó, yǐ, lì to connect, to join together

Depicts a person () with their hands and feet tied up.

Sources

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

zì, zi letter

Original meaning: raise up children

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. The (roof) component is based on the original meaning "raise up children". The meaning later shifted to "educate", "word", and "writing".

Components

Meaning component
mián roof
Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "raise up children", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.
SoundMeaning component
zi, zǐ child
Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "raise up children", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Late Shang ~1100 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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartdziHmə-dzə(ʔ)-s breed, love (v.); character

說文解字

《說文》:“字,乳也。从子在宀下,子亦聲。”

Sources

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

zhui patch together Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Originally written as , which depicted a person with their hands and feet tied up.

Components

Meaning component
silk

is a component form of .

SoundIconic component
zhuó, yǐ, lì to connect, to join together

Depicts a person () with their hands and feet tied up.

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagarttrjwettrot stitch

說文解字

《說文》:“綴,合箸也。从叕,从糸。”

Sources

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