zuǒ

left

Pictograph of a left hand. The (work) component was added later to represent the meaning "help; assist", now written as .

Components
𠂇 iconic component

𠂇  Iconic component

zuǒ

  

left hand

工 meaning component

  Meaning component

gōng

  

work

Evolution

左 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

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

Bronze script

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

Seal script

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

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

zuǒ

left; east; unorthodox, improper; the Left (politics); unorthodox; queer; wrong; differing; opposite; variant of [zuǒ]

 

Zuǒ

surname Zuo

Most common words with 左
Freq.
Word
Meaning

左右

nearby

left

左边

left

左手

left hand

左侧

left side

Component uses

Sound component in 3 characters (2 verified)

Iconic component in 1 character (1 verified)