Amazing Chinese characters (765) Cao (Family name) - 曹

 The shell bone script of character Cao is

The top are two characters East (Post 77), the bottom is character Mouth (Post 16). The character East could mean Host, Owner, etc. here it means party in the court, the two parties: Plaintiff, and Defendant. The Mouth means arguing between the two parties. Original meaning of the character is Court Argument.

The bronze script of character Cao is

The top are two characters East, the bottom is character Say (341), argument on the court.

The big seal script of character Cao is

Two Easts on the top, and Say in the bottom.

The small seal script of character Cao is

Easts and Say.

The clerical script of character Cao is

The top two small curves are pulled to one straight line, the middle two 日 are merged together, the bottom closed the open to form characer 曰（Say).

The Pinyin of the character is Cao2.

The character is only used as family name, the court-argument meaning is disappeared.

The reason why it is used just for family name may be that it was used as a famous person 曹操 who was the king of state during Three Kingdoms (A.D. 220 - 280). Normally, if a character was used for a famous King or Emperor, the character would be used only for family name, all other meanings won't be used anymore.