mào

trade

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
卯 sound component

  Sound component

mǎo

  

4th terrestrial branch

貝 meaning component

  Meaning component

bèi

  

sea shell

In ancient China shells were used as currency.

Evolution

貿 Bronze script Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze script

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
貿 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
貿 Clerical script Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical script

Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
貿 Clerical script Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

(貿) 

mào

trade, barter; mixed; rashly; commerce; trade

Most common words with 貿
Freq.
Word
Meaning

贸易

(commercial) trade

世贸

abbr. for 世界貿易組織|世界贸易组织

外贸

foreign trade

贸然

rashly

trade