qiū

autumn

Originally a pictograph of a cricket, since cricket chirps indicate the beginning of autumn. Later the character was reanalyzed as (grain) + (fire).

Components
禾 iconic component

  Iconic component

  

grain stalk

Autumn is the season for harvesting grain.

火 iconic component

  Iconic component

huǒ

  

fire

Autumn leaves have a fiery color.

Evolution

秋 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
秋 Bronze script Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze script

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
秋 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

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

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

qiū

autumn, fall; year; autumn; fall; harvest time

 

Qiū

surname Qiu

() 

qiū

old variant of [qiū]

() 

qiū

see 鞦韆|秋千[qiū​qiān]

Most common words with 秋
Freq.
Word
Meaning

autumn

秋天

autumn

秋季

autumn

春秋

year

秋千

swing (seat hung from a frame or branch)

Component uses

Sound component in 14 characters (0 verified)