琢 zuó to polish jade
怎么记住“琢”: 𤣩 king + 豖 tied pig = to polish jade. The old carver makes a little king and a tied pig for the museum shop, and it takes him a whole week to polish jade so fine.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
琢 = 𤣩 king + 豖 tied pig
- 𤣩 king meaning
- 豖 tied pig sound
The old carver makes a little king and a tied pig for the museum shop, and it takes him a whole week to polish jade so fine.
How it came to be
Jade gives the meaning and the tied pig the sound; the word first meant to work jade.
用法
- To carve/polish jade, hence to work on/refine: 雕琢 (diāozhuó) to carve and polish, 精雕细琢 (jīngdiāo-xìzhuó) to craft with great care.
- 玉不琢，不成器 (yù bù zhuó, bù chéng qì): unpolished jade makes no vessel, no growth without refinement. Read zuó in 琢磨 (zuómo): to turn over in one's mind / mull over.