help, aid, cross a river

Original meaning: 

[name of river]

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Components
氵 meaning component

  Meaning component

shuishuǐ

  

water

is a component form of .

齐 sound component

  Sound component

  

even

Evolution

济 Bronze script Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze script

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

Seal script

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

Clerical script

Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
济 Traditional script Modern

Traditional script

Modern
济 Simplified script Modern

Simplified script

Modern
Definitions

() 

to help, aid, relieve; to ferry, cross; to cross a river; to aid or relieve; to be of help

() 

used in place names associated with the Ji River 濟水|济水[Jǐ​Shuǐ]; surname Ji

() 

only used in 濟濟|济济[jǐ​jǐ]

Most common words with 济
Freq.
Word
Meaning

经济

economy

救济

emergency relief

to cross a river

市场经济

market economy

无济于事

to no avail