■ radical
xiě
to write
How it’s built
Phonosemantic compound. 宀 represents the meaning and 舄 represents the sound. The contribution of the 宀 (roof) component to the meaning is unclear. Perhaps used since writing is typically done indoors. The simplified character 写 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 寫.
Through the ages
Appears in
Characters that use 写 as a component, most common first.