求

The Chinese character 求 (qiú) is composed of two parts: 乞 (qǐ) and 口 (kǒu). 乞 means "to beg" or "to ask for", while 口 means "mouth". Together, they form the character 求, which means "to seek" or "to request".The oracle bone script of 求 shows a person kneeling down with his hands raised in supplication. This image suggests that the original meaning of 求 was "to beg" or "to ask for something". Over time, the meaning of 求 expanded to include "to seek" or "to request".The character 求 is used in a variety of words and phrases related to seeking or requesting something. For example, it is used in the word 寻求 (xúnqiú), which means "to seek" or "to search for", and in the phrase 请求 (qǐngqiú), which means "to request" or "to ask for".The character 求 is also used in some Chinese idioms. For example, it is used in the idiom 求之不得 (qiúzhī bùdé), which means "to seek something but not be able to find it".The character 求 is a common character in Chinese, and it is important for HSK learners to understand its meaning and usage.