黃 (huáng)

yellow; surname

Etymology

Pictograph of a person with a large belly, representing someone deformed. The 口 component was added to imply sighing. Based on the original meaning "physically disabled", now written as 尪. Later meaning shifted to "yellow; sallow", a skin color associated with illness.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“黃,地之色也。从田,从炗,炗亦聲。炗,古文光。,古文黃。”

Original meaning

physically disabled