qū​zì​kuàng

radical 匚

area Simplified

Simplified form of . Depicts a group of things () in an enclosed area.

Components

Iconic component
fāng, fàng box

Depicts an enclosed area.

pǐn product

Depicts a group of things.

Component uses

Meaning (0 of 3 verified)

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode

zì, zi letter

Original meaning: raise up children

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. The (roof) component is based on the original meaning "raise up children". The meaning later shifted to "educate", "word", and "writing".

Components

Meaning component
mián roof
Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "raise up children", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.
SoundMeaning component
zi, zǐ child
Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "raise up children", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Late Shang ~1100 BC
Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartdziHmə-dzə(ʔ)-s breed, love (v.); character

說文解字

《說文》:“字,乳也。从子在宀下,子亦聲。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

kuāng, kuàng frame

Components

Meaning component
tree

wood

Sound component
kuāng, wāng correct

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangkʰʷaŋ

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang

area Traditional

Depicts a group of things () in an enclosed area.

Components

Iconic component
fāng, fàng box

Depicts an enclosed area.

Iconic component
pǐn product

Depicts a group of things.


Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Warring States 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Meaning (0 of 2 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagart'uwqˤ(r)o (a measure)

說文解字

《說文》:“區,踦區,藏匿也。从品在匸中。品,眾也。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica