Definitions

to estimate; to fine (archaic); variant of 資|资[zī]

Etymology phono-semantic

money

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character (zī) refers to wealth, property, assets, or a monetary penalty in historical legal contexts. It is a phono-semantic compound: the cowry shell radical (bèi) beneath it indicates money and value, while the top element (cǐ) gives the sound. The traditional form uses the full radical with the identical phonetic , underscoring its use in ancient records concerning financial transactions and fines.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern