市 (shì)

market; city; municipality (administrative unit); (literary) to trade;

HSK 3.1 level 2
5 strokes

Etymology

Origin unclear. 止 represents the sound.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》：“市，買賣所之也。市有垣，从冂，从乁。乁，古文及，象物相及也。之省聲。”

Components

止 (sound)
兮 (unknown) — The original purpose of this component is unclear.