Dong Chinese dictionary

ěr

you

Pictograph of a sharp weapon with a sharp head and tail decorations on the end. Similar in origin to 朿. Original meaning unclear.

Evolution

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

ěr

you; that, those; final particle; thus; so; like that; thou

Most common words with 爾

Freq.	Word	Meaning
	尔	thus
	偶尔	occasionally
	高尔夫	golf (loanword)
	哈尔滨	Harbin, subprovincial city and capital of Heilongjiang province 黑龍江\|黑龙江[Hēilóngjiāng] in northeast China
	比尔	Bill (name)

Component uses

Sound component in 4 characters (1 verified)

Sources

季旭昇《說文新證》p.259

董蓮池《說文解字考正》p.129

張亞初《商周古文字源流疏證》p.1931-1932