懂中文 Dong Chinese

早

zǎo

early

Phonosemantic compound. 日 represents the meaning and 棗 represents the sound. The form of the original phonetic component 棗 was abbreviated to look like 十.

Components
日 meaning component

日  Meaning component

rì

  

sun

棗 sound component

棗  Sound component

zǎo

  

date tree

Evolution

早 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
早 Bronze script Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze script

Late Warring States (~250 BC)
早 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
早 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
早 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

早  

zǎo

early; soon; morning; Good morning!; long ago; prematurely

Most common words with 早
Freq.
Word
Meaning

早

early

早上

early morning

早就

already at an earlier time

早餐

breakfast

早晨

early morning

Component uses

Sound component in 1 character (1 verified)

草