platform, terrace

台 is composed of a variant of 以 (with) and 口 (mouth). 以 depicts a person using a tool to assist in doing work, while 口 represents speaking. Therefore, 台 conveys the idea of entrusting or instructing someone else to do something on one’s behalf. When asking others to do something for oneself, one must show a pleasant and agreeable expression; from this, 台 also carried the meaning of joy or delight, but this sense was later taken over by the character 怡. Nowadays, 台 is mostly used as a variant form of 臺, meaning a high and level place.