懂中文 Dong Chinese

朕

zhèn

pronoun 'I'

Original meaning: 

seal up gaps of a boat

Originally written as 灷. Depicts two hands holding an object (灷) to patch up a gap in a boat (舟), representing the meaning "seal up gaps of a boat". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
舟 iconic component

舟  Iconic component

zhōu

  

boat

Depicts a boat. Modern form looks like unrelated 月.

灷 sound,iconic component

灷  Sound Iconic component

zhuàn

  

seal up gaps of a boat

Depicts two hands (廾) holding an object (丨) to patch up a gap in a boat.

Evolution

朕 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
朕 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
朕 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
朕 Clerical script Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Clerical script

Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
朕 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

朕  

zhèn

pronoun 'I'; I; we (imperial use); subtle

Component uses

Sound component in 4 characters (4 verified)

勝 腾 騰 媵