shū

uncle

Original meaning: 

to dig

Depicts holding a sharp wooden stick () in the hand () to dig up dirt. Based on the original meaning "to dig". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
弋 iconic component

  Iconic component

  

to shoot

Depicts a sharp wooden stick in the ground.

◎ iconic component

  Iconic component

  

characterless component

Depicts dirt on the ground.

又 iconic component

  Iconic component

yòu

  

(hand), again

Depicts a hand.

Evolution

叔 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

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

Seal script

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

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

shū

father's younger brother; uncle; husband's younger brother; Taiwan pr. [shú]

Most common words with 叔
Freq.
Word
Meaning

叔叔

uncle

uncle

大叔

eldest of father's younger brothers

叔父

uncle

表叔

son of grandfather's sister

Component uses

Sound component in 5 characters (1 verified)