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拓 (tà) — (bound form) to make a rubbing (of an inscription or pattern)

Definition

拓 (tà) is a bound form used in calligraphy and archaeology terms for making a paper rubbing of an inscription or carving — it doesn't stand alone and always combines with words like 印, 本, or 片.

bound form
to make a rubbing (of an inscription or pattern)

Examples

  • 拓。
    Tā zhèng zài xué xí tà yìn jì shù.
    He is learning the technique of making rubbings.
  • 拓。
    Zhè fú tà běn bǎo cún dé hěn wán zhěng.
    This rubbing copy is well preserved.
  • 拓。
    Bó wù guǎn zhǎn chū le xǔ duō gǔ dài tà piàn.
    The museum exhibited many ancient rubbings.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí拓tuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拓 uses 扌, the hand radical, on the left, and 石 on the right as a sound part.

Appears in
Art & Fine Arts

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