a place; a location; an office; an institute (in names); measure word for houses; (grammar) used before a verb
所 covers places and offices (场所, 派出所), counts houses (一所学校), and has a grammar job before verbs. The axe side 斤 is the old meaning piece.
GF0025–2021 character list · 二级WHOLE GLYPH & STRUCTURE
ZDIC: 形声，右形左声 — the axe side 斤 on the right carries the meaning; 户 on the left is the old sound side.
WHOLE CHARACTER
a place; a location; an office; an institute (in names); measure word for houses; (grammar) used before a verb
所 covers places and offices (场所, 派出所), counts houses (一所学校), and has a grammar job before verbs. The axe side 斤 is the old meaning piece.
ZDIC: 形声，右形左声 — the axe side 斤 on the right carries the meaning; 户 on the left is the old sound side.
LEFT: THE OLD SOUND SIDE 户 (HÙ)
door; household
Standalone meaning is kept separate from its role in other characters.
In 所: left: the old sound side 户 (hù) A historical sound side, not a modern hint: suǒ shares no modern sound part with hù — the initials (s-/h-), finals (-uo/-u) and tones (3/4) all differ.
RIGHT: THE AXE SIDE, NAMED BY ZDIC — THE ORIGINAL 'AXE' SENSE
an axe; a weight unit
A standalone character and radical; ZDIC names it the meaning side of 新.
In 所: right: the axe side, named by ZDIC — the original 'axe' sense Shown with its documented or clearly limited role.
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