purple

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
糸 meaning component

  Meaning component

  

silk

此 sound component

  Sound component

  

this

Evolution

紫 Bronze script Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze script

Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
紫 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

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

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

purple, violet; amethyst; surname; purple; violet

Most common words with 紫
Freq.
Word
Meaning

purple

紫色

purple

紫外线

ultraviolet ray

紫藤

wisteria

紫罗兰

violet (botany)