<blockquote>
  <p>I know this topic has - kind of - been discussed over here: <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/511/what-etymology-dictionaries-are-available">
  What etymology dictionaries are available?
  </a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>(In order to avoid seeming like I'm advertising for anyone I will refrain from mentioning where I heard this but...)</p>

<p>I once heard an explanation of the character 取 talking about how it came from the character 馘 (meaning: to cut off the left ear of the slain in battle) - and how the meaning of 馘 is visually represented in the character 取 (an ear + a hand) now meaning 'to take' </p>

<p>Where would one go to find this type of etymological explanations?</p>

<etymology><glyph-origin>
Glyph origin or Word Etymology Resources
# Glyph origin or Word Etymology Resources

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-18)

> I know this topic has - kind of - been discussed over here: [What etymology dictionaries are available?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/511/what-etymology-dictionaries-are-available)

(In order to avoid seeming like I'm advertising for anyone I will refrain from mentioning where I heard this but...)

I once heard an explanation of the character 取 talking about how it came from the character 馘 (meaning: to cut off the left ear of the slain in battle) - and how the meaning of 馘 is visually represented in the character 取 (an ear + a hand) now meaning 'to take'

Where would one go to find this type of etymological explanations?

**Tags:** etymology, glyph-origin

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## 0 answers

