gài

approximately

Original meaning: 

rod used to level off a heaped measure

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
木 meaning component

  Meaning component

  

tree

既 sound component

  Sound component

  

already

Evolution

概 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

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

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
概 Seal script Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal script

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

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

gài

generally, approximately; general; approximate

() 

gài

old variant of [gài]

Most common words with 概
Freq.
Word
Meaning

大概

roughly

概念

concept

概率

probability (math.)

概括

to summarize

气概

mettle