研讨
yán​tǎo HSK7

discuss

研 yán grind

Phonosemantic compound. 石 represents the meaning and 幵 represents the sound.

Components

石
石 Meaning component
shí stone
幵
幵 Sound component
qiān, jiān hairpin

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartngen[ŋ]ˤe[r] grind; examine

說文解字

《說文》：“研，也。从石，幵聲。”

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)

讨 tǎo to discuss Simplified

Original meaning: manage, govern

Simplified form of 討. Depicts using speech (言) and one's hands (寸) to manage or govern. The meaning later shifted to "discuss" and "ask for".

Components

讠
讠 Meaning component
yán speech

讠 is a component form of 言.

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

Depicts a hand.

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫李学勤《字源》p.193-194
Readings & variants
Unicode

討 tǎo to discuss Traditional

Original meaning: manage, govern

Depicts using speech (言) and one's hands (寸) to manage or govern. The meaning later shifted to "discuss" and "ask for".

Components

言
言 Meaning component
yán speech
寸
寸 Meaning component
cùn, cun (hand), inch

Depicts a hand.

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Qin 221-206 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 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

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartthawX[t]ʰˤuʔ examine; denounce

說文解字

《說文》：“討，治也。从言，从寸。”

Sources

Character origin
李学勤《字源》p.193-194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)