货物运输
huò​wù​yùn​shū

freight transportation

货 huò goods Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 化 represents the sound. Simplified form of 貨.

Components

化
化 Sound component
huà change
贝
贝 Meaning component
bèi sea shell

In ancient China, shells were used as currency.

Sources

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

物 wù, wu thing

Original meaning: varicolored cow

Phonosemantic compound. 牛 represents the meaning and 勿 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "variety", depicting the variety of colors on a cow. Later the meaning shifted to "things".

Components

牛
牛 Meaning component
niú cow
勿
勿 Sound component
wù, mò must not

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 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 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
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartmjutC.mut thing

說文解字

《說文》：“物，萬物也。牛為大物，天地之數，起於牽牛，故从牛，勿聲。”

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)

运 yùn to move Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 云 represents the sound. Simplified form of 運.

Components

辶
辶 Meaning component
chuò walk

辶 is a component form of 辵.

云
云 Sound component
yún clouds

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

输 shū transport Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 车 represents the meaning and 俞 represents the sound. Simplified form of 輸.

Components

车
车 Meaning component
chē cart, vehicle
俞
俞 Sound component
yú, shù surname

Sources

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

貨 huò goods Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 化 represents the sound.

Components

化
化 Sound component
huà change
貝
貝 Meaning component
bèi sea shell

In ancient China, shells were used as currency.

Character Evolution

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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartxwaHqʷʰˤaj-s (movable) property, goods

說文解字

《說文》：“貨，財也。从貝，化聲。”

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)

運 yùn to move Traditional

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

Components

辶
辶 Meaning component
chuò walk

辶 is a component form of 辵.

軍
軍 Sound component
jūn army

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Qin 221-206 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Three Kingdoms (Cao Wei) 222-280 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagarthjunH[ɢ]ʷər-s turn round, move

說文解字

迻徙也。从辵軍聲。

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)

輸 shū transport Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 車 represents the meaning and 俞 represents the sound.

Components

車
車 Meaning component
chē cart, vehicle
俞
俞 Sound component
yú, shù surname

Character Evolution

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
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartsyul̥o convey (v.); lose

說文解字

《說文》：“輸，委輸也。从車，俞聲。”

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)