bài

pay respects

Original meaning: 

pull out

Depicts a hand () pulling a plant (𠦪) out of the ground. Based on the original meaning "pull out", now written as . The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
手 iconic component

  Iconic component

shǒu

  

hand

𠦪 iconic component

𠦪  Iconic component

tāo

  

decorative plant

Simplified from the ancient character 𢳎.

Evolution

拜 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

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

Seal script

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

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

bài

do obeisance, bow, kowtow; to pay respect; worship; visit; salute

Most common words with 拜
Freq.
Word
Meaning

拜托

please!

worship

崇拜

to worship

礼拜

week

拜访

to pay a visit

Component uses

Sound component in 1 character (0 verified)