xiāng

hometown

Pictograph of two people facing each other, kneeling down to share a meal. Based on the original meaning "feast" or "offer food", now written as . The meaning later shifted to "hometown".

Components
卩 iconic component

  Iconic component

jié

  

person kneeling

Depicts a kneeling person facing right.

飠 iconic component

  Iconic component

shí

  

eat

卩 iconic component

  Iconic component

jié

  

person kneeling

Depicts a kneeling person facing left.

Evolution

鄉 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
鄉 Bronze script Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze script

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
鄉 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

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

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

xiāng

country; rural; village; country or countryside; native place; home village or town; township (PRC administrative unit)

Most common words with 鄉
Freq.
Word
Meaning

乡村

rustic

家乡

hometown

native place

乡下

countryside

城乡

city and countryside

Component uses

Sound component in 4 characters (2 verified)