Definitions

zhào variant of 櫂|棹[zhào]
zhuó to wash; to cleanse of evil

Etymology phono-semantic

water

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is a phono-semantic compound combining the water radical (shuǐ), which suggests an action or state related to water, with the phonetic element (dí, 'pheasant'). The character's core meaning is the physical act of washing or rinsing something with water, and it commonly appears in classical contexts describing the laundering of garments or washing of feet. Beyond this literal cleansing, the term evolved to signify spiritual and ethical purification of the mind and soul, as well as a state of pristine cleanliness and bright, unblemished radiance free from worldly corruption.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern