wéi

(surround a city), tanned leather

Original meaning: 

surround a city

Pictograph of feet walking around city walls. The character is based on the original meaning "to surround". The "leather" meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
止 iconic component

  Iconic component

zhǐ

  

(foot), stop

Depicts a foot.

囗 sound,iconic component

  Sound Iconic component

wéi

  

surround

Depicts city walls.

止 iconic component

  Iconic component

zhǐ

  

(foot), stop

Depicts a foot.

Evolution

韋 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

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

Bronze script

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

Seal script

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

Clerical script

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

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

wéi

tanned leather; surname; KangXi radical number 178; soft leather

() 

Wéi

surname Wei

Most common words with 韋
Freq.
Word
Meaning

surname Wei

韦德

Wade (name)

韦伯

Webb, Webber or Weber (name)

查韦斯

Chavez, Spanish name

津巴布韦

Zimbabwe

Component uses

Meaning component in 3 characters (1 verified)

Sound component in 13 characters (4 verified)

Iconic component in 1 character (1 verified)

Remnant component in 1 character (1 verified)