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 largely obsolete, as current Chinese practice is for married women to continue to use their former surnames. The practice of sometimes adopting the husband's surname is being revived, however. 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”).