卸
xiè · HSK 7
to unload
📦🐴 原 etymology: unhitch the horse (卩) and stop (止) the cart to unload the goods
卸 originally showed taking a horse out of its harness so a cart could be emptied. The 卩 part is a kneeling figure and 止 means stop: halt the cart, pull off the load. From there it widened to remove, strip off, or get rid of anything.
卸 — 卩 (seal/kneeling person) + 卸 phonetic 午
卸 originally depicted unloading a cart or unyoking horses, showing a person (卩) removing the harness. The character combines the kneeling figure 卩 with phonetic elements suggesting the action of taking off or removing. Its meaning extended from unloading goods to dismantling, removing, or shedding more generally.