质
質zhì
#404 most
frequent character
character, nature, quality, plain
Character breakdown
Source: Make Me a Hanzi.
质 shows a chopping block with a seashell, one item used to pawn another. That gave the first sense, to mortgage or pawn. It later grew to a pledge, then to matter or substance, and finally to quality or essence. 贝 here is the simplified shape of 貝.
Drawn as: chopping block; seashell
质 as a component in other characters
sound1 character
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