Original meaning: rub between fingers
Depicts grain (來) being rolled between the fingers in the left hand (左). Based on the original meaning "rub between fingers", now written as 搓. The meaning later shifted to "uneven" and "error".
Components
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | tsrhae | tsʰraj | distinction; to select |
| tsrhea | [tsʰ]raj | distinction; to select | |
| tsrheaj | [tsʰ](ˤ)raj | distinction; to select | |
| tsrhje | tsʰraj | 參差 uneven | |
| tsha | [tsʰ]ˤaj | rub, polish, file (v.) |
說文解字
貳也。差不相值也。从左从𠂹。
Sources
- Character origin
- 漢語多功能字庫
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)
Simplified
Phonosemantic component. 弓 represents the meaning and 畺 represents the sound. Originally written as 彊.
Components
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | gjang | N-kaŋ | strong |
| gjangX | m-kaŋʔ | make an effort |
說文解字
《說文》：“強，蚚也。从虫，弘聲。，籀文強，从从彊。”
Sources
- Character origin
- 漢語多功能字庫
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)
Pictograph of the side view of a standing person.
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | nyin | ni[ŋ] | (other) person |
說文解字
《說文》：“人，天地之性最貴者也。此籀文，象臂脛之形。”
Sources
- Character origin
- 季旭昇《說文新證》p.630
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)
Thought (意) is the sound (音) that comes from the mind (心). (Oversimplified for brevity. The 音 component in this character has a complicated history.)
Components
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | 'iH | ʔ(r)ək-s | thought (n.) |
說文解字
《說文》：“意，志也。从心察言而知意也。从心，从音。”
Sources
- Character origin
- 季旭昇《說文新證》p.790-791漢語多功能字庫
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)
Traditional
Phonosemantic component. 弓 represents the meaning and 畺 represents the sound. Originally written as 彊.
Components
Character Evolution
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | |
|---|---|---|
| Zhengzhang | ɡaŋ | |
| ɡaŋʔ | ||
| Unicode | ghiɑng | |
| ghiǎng |
說文解字
《說文》：“強，蚚也。从虫，弘聲。，籀文強，从从彊。”
Sources
- Character origin
- 漢語多功能字庫
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Zhengzhang Shangfang
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)