zhì

govern

Original meaning: 

river in Shandong

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Originally referred to a river in Shandong province. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
氵 meaning component

  Meaning component

shuishuǐ

  

water

is a component form of .

台 sound component

  Sound component

tái

  

platform

Evolution

治 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

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

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

zhì

govern, regulate, administer; to rule; to govern; to manage; to control; to harness (a river); to treat (a disease); to wipe out (a pest); to punish; to research

Most common words with 治
Freq.
Word
Meaning

治疗

therapy

政治

politics

to rule

乔治

George (name)

三明治

sandwich (loanword)