Pictograph of four leaves growing together or the large head of a sunflower. Based on the original meaning, now written as 葵. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
Character Evolution
Oracle Bone~1250-1000 BCOracle Bone~1250-1000 BCBronzeLate Shang~1100 BCBronzeMid Western Zhou~900 BCBronzeMid Western Zhou~900 BCBronzeLate Western Zhou~800 BCBronzeLate Western Zhou~800 BCBronzeMid Warring States~300 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealWestern Han202 BC-9 ADSealShuowen~100 ADSealShuowen~100 ADSealJin266-420 ADClericalQin221-206 BCClericalXin9-23 ADClericalXin9-23 ADClericalEastern Han25-220 ADClericalJin266-420 ADRegularModern
