你走你的阳关道，我过我的独木桥
nǐ​zǒu​nǐ​de Yáng​guān Dào, wǒ​guò​wǒ​de​dú​mù​qiáo

separate paths

你 nǐ you

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 尔 represents the sound.

Components

亻
亻 Meaning component
rén person

亻 is a component form of 人.

尔
尔 SoundMeaning component
ěr you

你 and 尔 don't sound similar in modern Mandarin due to historical phonetic changes. They were more similar in Middle Chinese.

Component uses

Sound (1)

您

Meaning (1)

您

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangnɯʔ

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang

走 zǒu walk

Originally written as 夭, depicting a person swaying their arms (夭) while walking quickly. The foot component 止 was added later.

Components

夭
夭 Iconic component
yāo, wò, wāi die young

Depicts a person walking quickly.

止
止 Meaning component
zhǐ (foot), stop

Depicts a foot.

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
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

Component uses

Meaning (8 of 20 verified)

起越超赶趣趋赴趁趟赳趄趔趑趱趨趕趦趙趯赸

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

陡

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagarttsuwX[ts]ˤoʔ run

說文解字

《說文》：“走，趨也。从夭、止，夭止者，屈也。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.108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)

的 de, dì, dí [possessive]

Original meaning: bright

Phonosemantic compound. 白 represents the meaning and 勺 represents the sound. The character is based on the original meaning "bright".

Components

白
白 Meaning component
bái, bai white
Change in meaning
白 hints at the original meaning of 的, "bright", which is no longer the most common meaning of 的 in modern Mandarin.
勺
勺 Sound component
sháo, shuò, zhuó spoon
Change in sound

Character Evolution

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

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagarttek[t-l]ˤewk bright; mark in a target

說文解字

《說文》：“旳，明也。从日，勺聲。《易》曰：‘為的顙。’”

Sources

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

阳 yáng light Simplified

The traditional characters 陰 (Yin) and 陽 (Yang) were simplified to 阴 and 阳. In Chinese philosophy, the moon (月) corresponds to Yin (阴) and the sun (日) corresponds to Yang (阳).

Components

阝
阝 Meaning component
fù hill, place

阝 is a component form of 阜.

日
日 Simplified component
rì sun

Simplified from the traditional 陽. Used here since the sun corresponds to the 'Yang' of 'Yin and Yang' in Chinese philosophy.

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

关 guān to close Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 門 represents the meaning and 𢇇 represents the sound. The simplified character 关 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 關. The traditional component 門 was removed for simplification.

Components

關
門 Deleted component
mén, men door

The traditional component 門 was removed for simplification.

𢇇
𢇇 SoundSimplified component
guān to run threads through a web in weaving

Shorthand for the 𢇇 component in the traditional character 關.

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Regular Modern

Component uses

Simplified (1 of 2 verified)

联郑

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical images
Academia Sinica

道 dào, dao path

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 首 represents the sound.

Components

辶
辶 Meaning component
chuò walk

辶 is a component form of 辵.

首
首 Sound component
shǒu head
Change in sound

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn ~700 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Qin 221-206 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 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 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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (1)

導

Meaning (1)

導

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartdawHlˤuʔ-s show the way
dawX[kə.l]ˤuʔ way

說文解字

所行道也。从辵从𩠐。一達謂之道。

Sources

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

我 wǒ I; me

Original meaning: weapon

Pictograph of a weapon with a forked blade and long handle. The meaning "I; me" is a phonetic loan.

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Spring and Autumn 771-476 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn ~700 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Warring States ~400 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 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 Three Kingdoms (Cao Wei) 222-280 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (6 of 15 verified)

义俄饿哦鹅娥峨蛾硪莪義锇餓鵝皒

Simplified (1)

义

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartngaXŋˤajʔ we, I

說文解字

《說文》：“我，施身自謂也。或說我，頃頓也。从戈，从。，或說古垂字。一曰古殺字。，古文我。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.867
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

过 guò, guo pass Simplified

Simplified form of 過. Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 咼 represents the sound. The 咼 component was simplified to 寸.

Components

辶
辶 Meaning component
chuò walk

辶 is a component form of 辵.

寸
寸 Simplified component
cùn, cun (hand), inch

Shorthand for the 咼 component in the traditional character 過.

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

挝

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

独 dú alone Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 蜀 represents the sound. Simplified form of 獨.

Components

犭
犭 Meaning component
quǎn dog

犭 is a component form of 犬.

虫
虫 Simplified component
chóng bug, insect

Shorthand for the phonetic 蜀 component in the traditional character 獨.

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

木 mù tree

Pictograph of a tree.

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Shang ~1100 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
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

Meaning (86 of 360 verified)

样机条权格根亲极查李标构案校模树村检概核架困枪楼松板材荣杨床植杰梅桌杜桥横杯梁枝闲柳柔柏械椅梯柱档桃柯桂棉柴柜杆棋朴栏棵框枯柄棍棒寨渠杭栽桶杖棚椎栖株棠桩桓朽榜枕枢榴梭棺栋桐梳杉棕樱梢橡棱枉梗栓桨槽栅梨榻橱杠檐槐椒栈楞枫榆桔椭柿梧槛樵檀橄楷桅橙榄橘榨枷楠桢栩梓杞楔桦枭椰檬榈橇椋槟楣梆樟桧槌榕橹椿棣柠柑杳榭榔栾榘榷椤椽槁枞杈柚柩枸榛樽榉栉梏栎桎楂楹杵樾楫桠杲榫槭橛杼棂枰樯槿臬槎杷柞榧枋桉枥槊枳枇柢桁桡栀槲椴樗榇柘檩蘖枵杓楸楦楝椁榱槔樘桤楮栌杪橥檠槠榍桴柙杌椹檎桷桕桫枘枨棹杩栊栲檫樨柽棰椟椠檗梃橼栳椐柁桄枧榀栝楱檑築柃楗閑樸檯櫞櫸橫槍構桲栴樁槃柵椪榅梟機樺榿棧欒楨榲欞櫛標櫆欄檸楳欖櫱枒棲條櫫柲檮槓檳楛檢桊楙樣櫪梼橈橋樅㓷柤柊槤樆橢槨櫻櫍櫃檻檔槜梣椆棶桿槺檜櫓𬃊權枓櫟梾樹楓杙槳栱極檃橾樞櫚櫥檵棟梔樛梿棻椥楊榮樑槀樓樴

Iconic (31)

本相新果林集某采县宋森析休朱乘呆桑枚巢栗杏桀柰縣尞尌喿桼枼樂椉

Unknown (0 of 2 verified)

溧柒

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

沐

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartmuwkC.mˤok tree, wood

說文解字

《說文》：“木，冒也，冒地而生。東方之行。从屮，下象其根。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.484
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

桥 qiáo bridge Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 乔 represents the sound. Simplified form of 橋.

Components

木
木 Meaning component
mù tree
乔
乔 Sound component
qiáo, jiǎo tall

Sources

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

陽 yáng light Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 昜 represents the sound.

Components

阝
阝 Meaning component
fù hill, place

阝 is a component form of 阜.

昜
昜 SoundMeaning component
yáng bright

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Warring States ~300 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Qin 221-206 BC
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 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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartyanglaŋ bright

說文解字

高、明也。从𨸏昜聲。

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)

關 guān to close Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 門 represents the meaning and 𢇇 represents the sound.

Components

門
門 Meaning component
mén, men door
𢇇
𢇇 Sound component
guān to run threads through a web in weaving

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Warring States 475-221 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Warring States ~300 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
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 Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartkwaen[k]ˤro[n] barrier
kwaen[k]ˤro[n] 關關 kwaen.kwaen [bird’s cry]
kwaenkˤro[n] 間關 sound of a chariot's linchpin (Ode 218.1)

說文解字

《說文》：“關，以木橫持門戶也。从門，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)

過 guò, guo pass Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 咼 represents the sound.

Components

辶
辶 Meaning component
chuò walk

辶 is a component form of 辵.

咼
咼 Sound component
chat

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
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 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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

撾

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartkwaCə.kʷˤaj tough, fibrous (vegetables)
kwakʷˤaj to pass
kwaHkʷˤaj-s to pass; transgress

說文解字

度也。从辵咼聲。

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)

獨 dú alone Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 蜀 represents the sound.

Components

犭
犭 Meaning component
quǎn dog

犭 is a component form of 犬.

蜀
蜀 Sound component
shǔ short name for Sichuan
Change in sound

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 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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartduwk[d]ˤok alone; only

說文解字

《說文》：“獨，犬相得而鬭也。从犬，蜀聲。羊為羣，犬為獨也。一曰北囂山有獨獸，如虎，白身，豕鬣，尾如馬。”

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)

橋 qiáo bridge Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 喬 represents the sound.

Components

木
木 Meaning component
mù tree
喬
喬 Sound component
tall

Character Evolution

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

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartgjew[g](r)aw bridge

說文解字

《說文》：“橋，水梁也。从木，喬聲。”

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)