Phonosemantic compound. 宀 represents the meaning and 取 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "gather". The meaning later shifted to "accumulate", "many" and "most". Originally written as 㝡. Later extra strokes were added to the 宀 component.
Components
宀 Meaning component
mián roof
Depicts gathering many things in one building. Originally written as 宀, later extra strokes were added.
Notes
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Historical Evolution
最
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
最
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
最
Regular
Modern
Chinese
最 [zuì]
most; the most; -est (superlative suffix)
Japanese
- the most; the extreme
- prime; conspicuous
Korean
최 [最]
choe-; A prefix used to mean "the most, the best."
Example Sentences
Japanese Names
最 さい
Sai female given name
最 さいちょう
Saichō unclassified name
最 たかし
Takashi unclassified name
最 まさる
Masaru given name
最 ゆたか
Yutaka unclassified name
CHINESE WORDS (102)
最后 [zuìhòu] #249
final
最后 [zuìhòu] #249
final
最近 [zuìjìn] #593
recently
最终 [zuìzhōng] #1,074
final
最终 [zuìzhōng] #1,074
final
最好 [zuìhǎo] #2,588
best
最高 [zuìgāo] #2,131
tallest
最佳 [zuìjiā] #1,971
optimum
最新 [zuìxīn] #2,407
latest
最多 [zuìduō] #2,031
at most
92 more
items
JAPANESE WORDS (200)
⭐ 最後 [さいご] #257
end
⭐ 最初 [さいしょ] #258
beginning
⭐ 最近 [さいきん] #378
recently
⭐ 最高 [さいこう] #973
best
⭐ 最も [もっとも] #1,145
most
最後まで [さいごまで] #1,247
to the end
⭐ 最大 [さいだい] #1,282
biggest
⭐ 最悪 [さいあく] #1,751
worst
⭐ 最低 [さいてい] #2,237
least
⭐ 最中 [さいちゅう] #2,269
(in) the middle of
190 more
items
KOREAN WORDS (46)
최대한 #1,424
maximum; utmost limit
최소한 #2,284
the minimum; being the least
최근 #2,750
the latest; the most recent
최다 #2,819
the most; the largest; maximum
최고 #2,819
the oldest
최종 #5,148
the last; the final
최대 #5,624
the largest; the most; maximum
최소 #8,553
the least; the fewest; minimum
최신 #11,235
latest; newest; up-to-date
최고급 #18,338
the highest grade; top-level
36 more
items