懂中文 Dong Chinese

则

zé

rule

Original meaning: 

law

Simplified form of 則. Depicts carving inscriptions on bronzeware (鼎) with a knife (刂). Based on the original meaning "law". In ancient China, some legal writings were inscribed on bronzeware.

Components
鼎 iconic,remnant component

鼎  Iconic Remnant component

dǐng

  

cooking pot

Modern form looks like unrelated 贝.

刂 iconic component

刂  Iconic component

dāo

  

knife

刂 is a component form of 刀.

Evolution

则 Bronze script Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze script

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
则 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
则 Clerical script Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical script

Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
则 Traditional script Modern

Traditional script

Modern
则 Simplified script Modern

Simplified script

Modern
Definitions

则 (則) 

zé

rule, law, regulation; grades; (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then; standard; norm; principle; to imitate; to follow; classifier for written items

Most common words with 则
Freq.
Word
Meaning

则

then

否则

if not

规则

rule

原则

principle

准则

norm

Component uses

Meaning component in 1 character (0 verified)

铡

Sound component in 6 characters (2 verified)

测 厕 侧 恻 铡 鲗