why? what? where?

Original meaning: 

cut fruit

Depicts a type of fruit with something cut off from it. The component that depicts the fruit was later reanalyzed as phonetic component . Based on the original meaning "cut fruit". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
◎ iconic component

  Iconic component

  

characterless component

Depicts something that has been cut from the fruit.

匃 sound component

  Sound component

gài

  

beggar

Originally depicted a type of fruit. Later reanalyzed as phonetic component .

Evolution

曷 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
曷 Clerical script Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
曷 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
曷 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

why? what? where?; why; how; when; what; where

Component uses

Sound component in 14 characters (3 verified)

Unknown component in 1 character (0 verified)