Original meaning: finish eating
Depicts a person, who is full, turning away ( 旡 ) from a container of food ( 皀 ). Based on the original meaning "finish eating". The meaning later shifted to "complete" and "already".
皀 Iconic component
Depicts a container of food.
旡 Sound Iconic component
jì
choke on something eaten
Depicts a person with their open mouth facing backwards.
Oracle script
(~1250-1000 BC) Bronze script
Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC) Seal script
Shuowen (~100 AD) Clerical script
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD) 既 Regular script Modern Regular script
Modern already; de facto; since; then; both... (and...)
Freq. Word Meaning
既然
since
既
already
既是
since
既有
existing
一如既往
continuing as always
MoreSound component in 8 characters (1 verified)
概 慨 溉 暨 厩 廄 嘅 鱀