桅
篆
隶wéi
【析形】形声字。小篆字形从木,危声,危有高义,兼表义作用。
【释义】《玉篇》:“船上樯竿。”本指竖立于船舶上用于张挂风帆的杆子,特点是高,也叫桅樯。后来机动船上用以悬旗和装设航行灯、无线电与雷达天线等的圆木或金属长杆也叫桅,并多称桅杆。
【shape analysis】It is the pictophonetic character.In small seal script it is related to 木(mù,wood)and sounds like the pronunciation of 危(wēi).
【original meaning】The character originally meant the pole set upright on boat for hanging sails.It was also called mast.