to be circumspect

Pictograph of a Qiang person kneeling down in respect. The (mouth) component was added later since Qiang people were seen as slaves by the Shang people in ancient China. Original form of .

Components
羊 iconic,remnant component

  Iconic Remnant component

yáng

  

sheep

Depicts an ornament resembling sheep horns. Alludes to the Qiang people's shepherd lifestyle.

卩 iconic component

  Iconic component

jié

  

person kneeling

Depicts a kneeling person.

口 meaning component

  Meaning component

kǒu

  

mouth

Evolution

茍 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

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

Bronze script

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

Seal script

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

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
茍 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

to be circumspect, cautious in one's behaviour (distinguish DKW 30790 gou3)

 

urgent

Component uses

Meaning component in 1 character (1 verified)

Sound component in 1 character (1 verified)