拓

Phono-semantic compound:

手 (hand radical) – semantic, indicating an action with the hand.

石 (stone; phonetic) – phonetic component, providing the sound.

Originally depicts the act of using the hand to strike or press stone, giving rise to the meanings of carving, inscribing, or expanding territory.

Semantic range:

- to broaden, expand, open up (as in territory, knowledge);

- to engrave, to inscribe, to impress;

- to make rubbings from inscriptions (拓本).

개척 (開拓) – pioneering, developing

탁본 (拓本) – stone rubbing, inscription copy

탁발 (拓拔) – surname in early nomadic tribes

확장 (擴拓) – expansion

In Korean, the primary reading is 척 (넓힐 척), but in certain compounds like 탁본 or 탁발 it is read as 탁 (박을 탁).

In Chinese, 拓 has multiple readings: usually tuò (“expand”), but in compounds like 拓本 it follows the reading of 搨 (tà), meaning “to make rubbings.”