叟 - Dong Chinese dictionary

sǒu

old man

Original meaning:

search for

Depicts a hand (又) holding a torch (火) in a dark room (宀) looking for something. Based on the original meaning "search for", now written as 搜. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components

宀 Iconic component

mián

roof

Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to 宀 than it was in ancient scripts.

火 Iconic component

huǒ

fire

Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to 火 than it was in ancient scripts.

又 Iconic component

yòu

(hand), again

Evolution

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

叟

sǒu

old man; elder; old gentleman

Most common words with 叟

Freq.	Word	Meaning
	叟	old man
	乔叟	Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400), English poet, author of The Canterbury Tales 坎特伯雷故事集[KǎntèbóléiGùshìJí]
	童叟无欺	Our house offers sincere treatment to all and fair trade to old and young alike.