<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://www.zdic.net/z/1a/xs/62DC.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.zdic.net/z/1a/xs/62DC.htm</a></p>
  
  <p>(1) (会意。从两手,从下。《说文》古文上象两手,丅为“下”的古体。《说文》引 扬雄说:“拜从两手下。”表示双手作揖,或下拜。隶书将“丅”(下)并入右边的“手”之下而成为“拜”,一直沿用至今。本义:古代表示敬意的一种礼节。两手合于胸前,头低到手)</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><p>丅为“下”的古体 (丅 was 下 (down)'s ancient form)</p></li>
<li><p>(下)并入右边的“手”之下而成为“拜” (下/丅 was merged into the right side 手) </p></li>
</ul>

<p>Basically, The character '拜' depicts [two hands + move down] = [to worship --> to show respect] and it extended to more different meanings over time.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T23:46:49.383Z
2019-02-28T23:54:13.720Z
2019-02-28T23:54:13.720Z
Tang Ho
<p>「拜」was originally「」, comprised of「手・扌」and「」.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>「」(please read this in both meaning and sound as「禱」) depicts <em>flowery adornments</em> used in dances and religious prayer/rituals.</p>
  
  <p><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty" rel="nofollow noreferrer">商</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">甲</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/2V80i.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2V80i.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">佚</a>32<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=1439&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">合集1439</a></kbd><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou" rel="nofollow noreferrer">西周</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions" rel="nofollow noreferrer">金</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/K56kr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/K56kr.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>番生簋蓋<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4326&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成4326</a></kbd><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty" rel="nofollow noreferrer">秦</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips" rel="nofollow noreferrer">簡</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/sfHmU.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/sfHmU.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/QinwenziReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">日甲</a>61背<br>　</kbd><kbd><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_seal_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">篆</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/i18ML.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/i18ML.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuowen_Jiezi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">說文解字</a><br>　</kbd><kbd>今<br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">楷</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/V75u5.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/V75u5.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><br>　</kbd></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The combination of「手」(<em>hand</em>) and「」(<em>flowery adornments used in dances and religious prayer/rituals</em>) indicated the meaning <em>to conduct obeisance</em>.</p>

<p><kbd>西周<br>金<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/z82zn.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/z82zn.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>沈子它簋蓋<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4330&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成4330</a></kbd><kbd>秦<br>簡<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/uzT3P.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/uzT3P.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuihudi_Qin_bamboo_texts" rel="nofollow noreferrer">睡</a>・<a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/QinwenziReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">秦</a>153<br>　</kbd></p>

<p>In the character「」, the bottom part of「」was sometimes corrupted into something that looked like「手」.</p>

<p><kbd>秦<br>簡<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/K7d4D.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/K7d4D.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/QinwenziReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">日甲</a>166<br>　</kbd></p>

<p>Similarly, the top part of「」, which is「卉」, was sometimes removed. This leads on to the modern form of「拜」.</p>

<p><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Eastern_Han" rel="nofollow noreferrer">東漢</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">隸</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Ocn8t.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Ocn8t.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>鄭固碑<br>　</kbd><kbd>今<br>楷<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8WKZ3.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8WKZ3.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><br>　</kbd></p>

<hr>

<p><strong>References</strong>:</p>

<ul>
<li>季旭昇《說文新證》</li>
<li><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">小學堂</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">國學大師</a>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">郭沫若《甲骨文合集》</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">中國社會科學院考古研究所《殷周金文集成》</a></li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T09:00:24.810Z
2019-03-01T09:08:50.527Z
2019-03-01T09:08:50.527Z
dROOOze
<p>I've seen somewhere that it was two hands together greeting someone. It makes some sense since the left part does look like 手, but the right part doesn't, and I don't remember any other characters that have it.</p>

<p>What's the real story about the character 拜?</p>

<glyph-origin>
Glyph origins of the character 拜
# Glyph origins of the character 拜

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-28)

I've seen somewhere that it was two hands together greeting someone. It makes some sense since the left part does look like 手, but the right part doesn't, and I don't remember any other characters that have it.

What's the real story about the character 拜?

**Tags:** glyph-origin


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-03-01. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

「拜」was originally「」, comprised of「手・扌」and「」.

> 「」(please read this in both meaning and sound as「禱」) depicts *flowery adornments* used in dances and religious prayer/rituals.
>
> `商  
> 甲  
> ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/2V80i.png)  
> 佚32  
> 合集1439``西周  
> 金  
> ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/K56kr.png)  
> 番生簋蓋  
> 集成4326``秦  
> 簡  
> ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/sfHmU.png)  
> 日甲61背` `篆  
> ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/i18ML.png)  
> 說文解字``今  
> 楷  
> ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/V75u5.png)`

The combination of「手」(*hand*) and「」(*flowery adornments used in dances and religious prayer/rituals*) indicated the meaning *to conduct obeisance*.

`西周  
金  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/z82zn.png)  
沈子它簋蓋  
集成4330``秦  
簡  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/uzT3P.png)  
睡・秦153`

In the character「」, the bottom part of「」was sometimes corrupted into something that looked like「手」.

`秦  
簡  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/K7d4D.png)  
日甲166`

Similarly, the top part of「」, which is「卉」, was sometimes removed. This leads on to the modern form of「拜」.

`東漢  
隸  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Ocn8t.png)  
鄭固碑``今  
楷  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/8WKZ3.png)`

---

**References**:

* 季旭昇《說文新證》
* [小學堂](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/)
* [國學大師](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/)
  + [郭沫若《甲骨文合集》](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/)
  + [中國社會科學院考古研究所《殷周金文集成》](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/)


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-02-28. Score: 1

> <http://www.zdic.net/z/1a/xs/62DC.htm>
>
> (1) (会意。从两手,从下。《说文》古文上象两手,丅为“下”的古体。《说文》引 扬雄说:“拜从两手下。”表示双手作揖,或下拜。隶书将“丅”(下)并入右边的“手”之下而成为“拜”,一直沿用至今。本义:古代表示敬意的一种礼节。两手合于胸前,头低到手)

* 丅为“下”的古体 (丅 was 下 (down)'s ancient form)
* (下)并入右边的“手”之下而成为“拜” (下/丅 was merged into the right side 手)

Basically, The character '拜' depicts [two hands + move down] = [to worship --> to show respect] and it extended to more different meanings over time.


---

