kǎo
examine
Original meaning:
old father
Depicts an old man (耂) with a cane (丂). Originally the same character as 老. Based on the original meaning "old father". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
Components
Evolution

Oracle script
(~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze script
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Seal script
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical script
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)Regular script
ModernDefinitions
Component uses
Meaning component in 1 character (0 verified)
Sources