接 from HSK Level 2 Vocabulary List

The Chinese character 接 (jiē) is composed of two parts: 扌(shǒu), which represents the hand, and 乞 (qǐ), which means "to beg" or "to receive". The original meaning of 接 was "to receive with open hands", which has evolved to mean "to connect", "to join", or "to welcome".The character 接 can be traced back to the oracle bone script, the earliest known form of Chinese writing. In the oracle bone script, 接 was written as a hand holding a begging bowl. This suggests that the original meaning of 接 was "to beg for food". Over time, the meaning of 接 expanded to include other forms of receiving, such as receiving guests or receiving a gift.The character 接 is also used in a number of other words and phrases, such as 接受 (jiēshòu, "to accept"), 连接 (liánjiē, "to connect"), and 欢迎 (huānyíng, "to welcome"). These words and phrases all share the idea of receiving or connecting something.The character 接 is a common character in Chinese, and it is used in a wide variety of contexts. By understanding the etymology of 接, we can better understand the meaning and usage of this important character.