懂中文 Dong Chinese

朕

zhèn

pronoun 'I'

Original meaning: 

seal up a crack

Originally depicted two hands (廾) holding an object (丨) to patch up a hole in a boat (舟), representing the meaning "seal a crack". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
舟 iconic component

舟  Iconic component

zhōu

  

boat

Depicts a boat. Modern form looks like unrelated 月.

◎ iconic component

◎  Iconic component

  

characterless component

Depicts a hole in a boat being plugged up.

廾 iconic component

廾  Iconic component

gǒng

  

two hands

Depicts two hands patching a hole in a boat.

Evolution

朕 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
朕 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
朕 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
朕 Clerical script Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Clerical script

Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
朕 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

朕  

zhèn

pronoun 'I'; I; we (imperial use); subtle

Component uses

Meaning component in 1 character (0 verified)

騰

Sound component in 4 characters (2 verified)

勝 胜 腾 媵

Remnant component in 1 character (1 verified)

胜