kào

lean on

Original meaning: 

conflict

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "conflict". The meaning later shifted to "lean against".

Components
告 sound component

  Sound component

gào

  

tell

非 meaning component

  Meaning component

fēi

  

not

Evolution

靠 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
靠 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

kào

lean on, trust, depend on; near; to lean against or on; to stand by the side of; to come near to; to depend on; to trust; to fuck (vulgar); traditional military costume drama where the performers wear armor (old)

Most common words with 靠
Freq.
Word
Meaning

to trust

靠近

near

依靠

to depend on

可靠

reliable

靠边

to pull over