zhezhāozháozhuózhù

[progress particle]

Original meaning: 

chopsticks

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "chopsticks", now written as . The modern meanings are phonetic loans.

Components
艹 meaning component

  Meaning component

caocǎo

  

grass

Alludes to bamboo chopsticks. and ⺮ (bamboo) were often used interchangeably with each other because of their visual and semantic similarity.

者 sound component

  Sound component

zhě

  

one who...

Evolution

著 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
著 Clerical script Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Clerical script

Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
著 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

zhe

manifest; (Cant.) to wear; aspect particle indicating action in progress

() 

zhāo

(chess) move; trick; all right!; (dialect) to add

() 

zháo

to touch; to come in contact with; to feel; to be affected by; to catch fire; to burn; (coll.) to fall asleep; (after a verb) hitting the mark; succeeding in

() 

zhuó

to wear (clothes); to contact; to use; to apply

 

zhù

to make known; to show; to prove; to write; book; outstanding

Most common words with 著
Freq.
Word
Meaning

著名

famous

[action in progress]

显著

outstanding

著作

to write

著称

to be widely known as

Component uses

Sound component in 1 character (0 verified)