tiē

paste to

Original meaning: 

to compensate, subsidize

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Components
贝 meaning component

  Meaning component

bèi

  

sea shell

In ancient China shells were used as currency.

占 sound component

  Sound component

zhànzhān

  

divine

Evolution

贴 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
贴 Traditional script Modern

Traditional script

Modern
贴 Simplified script Modern

Simplified script

Modern
Definitions

() 

tiē

paste to, stick on; attached to; to stick; to paste; to post (e.g. on a blog); to keep close to; to fit snugly; to subsidize; allowance (e.g. money for food or housing); sticker; classifier for sticking plaster: strip

Most common words with 贴
Freq.
Word
Meaning

to stick

补贴

subsidy

体贴

considerate (of other people's needs)

贴心

intimate

贴身

close-fitting