【析形】形声字。金文字形以臤为贤,臤有坚固义,与贤义通。小篆字形增意符贝。一般认为以坚贝比喻贤能。 【释义】《说文》:“多才也。”本义为有德行,有才能。如[贤明]、[贤良]、[贤惠]、[贤达]等。也指有才德的人。又引申为优良、胜过,尊崇等义。[选贤举能]把品德高尚的人,能干的人选拔出来。 【shape analysis】It is the pictophonetic character.In Bronze Inscriptionsit took臤(xián)as 贤.臤 is firm,which is the same as贤.In Small Seal script it added the meaningful part 贝(bèi,shell).Generally the firm shell is taken as the elite. 【original meaning】Virtue and talent.