Definitions
to shoot
Etymology
Originally a pictograph of a sharp wooden stick with a pointed bottom, similar to 才. The meaning later expanded to "arrow" and "shoot".
About
The character "弋" originated as a pictograph of a wooden stake or peg, with its structure remaining a simple, indivisible symbol representing this object. From denoting the stake itself, its meaning extended to the action of hunting using a rope-attached arrow, which involved securing the line to such a stake, thus acquiring the verbal sense "to shoot" or "to hunt" in classical texts. In modern usage, "弋" appears mainly in compound words or as a surname, while its independent meaning has become largely archaic.
Etymology Hide
