夙

sù

几 + 歹

Definitions

sù morning; early; long-held; long-cherished

Etymology

Pictograph of a person working underneath the moon (夕) in the early morning when the moon is still visible.

About

夙 originated as a pictograph of a person working under the moon (夕), capturing the early morning hours when the moon is still visible. In its modern form, it is written with 几 enclosing 歹, though it remains classified under the 夕 radical. The character primarily denotes early morning, and by extension, something long-standing or preexisting, often appearing in classical compounds for lifelong aspirations, long-held grudges, or ingrained habits.