Pictograph of a person with hands ( 丮 ) bound by shackles ( 㚔 ). Based on the original meaning "seize". The meaning later shifted to "wield power", "carry out", and "hold".
㚔 Iconic component
niè
instrument of torture used in ancient times
Depicts shackles.
丮 Iconic component
Depicts a person with two hands outstretched.
Oracle script
(~1250-1000 BC) Bronze script
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC) Seal script
Shuowen (~100 AD) Clerical script
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD) 執 Regular script Modern Regular script
Modern hold in hand; keep; carry out; to execute (a plan); to grasp
Freq. Word Meaning
执行
to implement
执法
to enforce a law
执照
license
争执
to dispute
执
to grasp
MoreMeaning component in 1 character (0 verified)
摯
Sound component in 5 characters (0 verified)
墊 摯 蟄 鷙 贄