Depicts rope wrapped around two pieces of wood to keep them straight. Based on the original meaning "straighten". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
Depicts a rope binding the pieces of wood together to keep them straight.
Character Evolution
Oracle Bone~1250-1000 BCOracle Bone~1250-1000 BCBronzeEarly Western Zhou~1000 BCBronzeEarly Western Zhou~1000 BCBronzeLate Spring and Autumn~500 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealShuowen~100 ADClericalQin221-206 BCClericalWestern Han202 BC-9 ADClericalEastern Han25-220 ADRegularModern
Historical Pronunciations
Middle Chinese
Old Chinese
Gloss
Baxter-Sagart
pjut
p[u]t
(negation)
pjut
put
gust of wind
pjut
put
writing brush (pron. in Yān 燕, ap. Shuōwén, E. Hàn)