Pictogram (象形). Various interpretations exist: a man bending over to sow the field (see also 氐 > 低 and 昏),[1] the root of a tree (see also 柢),[2] a man bowing over to the right, a stick with a decoration on top to represent a clan, a spoon (according to Guo Moruo and due to similarity to 匕), a mallet, a man holding an object, etc.
On bronze inscriptions, a black dot was added inside the vertical stroke of the character; then, this point turned into a horizontal stroke 一 while the vertical stroke mutated into a curved trait.
From time to time [he] would wear (the headdress), and had always kept it on after he arose to prominence. People now refer to the style as "the headdress of Liu".
(Classical)suffix to a noun that refers to family membership (actual or honorary)
Bóshì bù chū ér tú wú jūn, bóshì gǒu chū ér tú wú jūn, Shēnshēng shòu cì ér sǐ.[Pinyin]
[Y]ou, venerable Sir, do not come forth and consult for the good of our ruler. If you will come forth and do this, I will die having received a great favour from you.
The meaning of "née" has become obsolete, as current Chinese practice is for all married spouses to continue to use their birth names. Occasionally, a wife may adopt the husband's surname. As a descriptor, 氏 follows the maiden name, which follows the married name — 張氏 (“née Zhang”), 李張氏 (“Li née Zhang”), or 配張氏 (“married to a lady of the Zhang clan”).