méi​jīng​yàn

inexperienced

méi, mò not have Simplified

Original meaning: reach into the water to grab something

Simplified form of . Depicts a hand reaching in the water to grab something. The meaning later expanded to "drown", "disappear", and "not have".

Components

Meaning component
shui, shuǐ water

is a component form of .

huí return

Depicts the rippling surface of water.

Iconic component
yòu hand

Depicts a hand.

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle Chinese
Unicodemət

說文解字

《說文》:“沒,沈也。从水,从。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.208-209
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical images
Academia Sinica

jīng, jing pass through Simplified

Original meaning: warp thread

Simplified form of . Originally written , which depicts weaving vertical (warp) threads on a loom. The (thread) component was added later. Based on the original meaning "warp thread". The meaning later expanded to "pass through", "regulate", and "classic books".

Components

Meaning component
silk

is a component form of .

𢀖
jīng, xíng warp (textile)

Depicts weaving vertical (warp) threads on a loom.

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫季旭昇《說文新證》p.804
Readings & variants
Unicode

yàn test Simplified

Original meaning: type of horse

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "type of horse". The current meaning is a phonetic loan. Simplified form of .

Components

Meaning component
horse
Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "type of horse", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.
Sound component
qiān together

Sources

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

méi, mò not have Traditional

Original meaning: reach into the water to grab something

Depicts a hand reaching in the water to grab something. The meaning later expanded to "drown", "disappear", and "not have".

Components

Meaning component
shui, shuǐ water

is a component form of .

Iconic component
huí return

Depicts the rippling surface of water.

Change in form
Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to than it was in ancient scripts.
Iconic component
yòu hand

Depicts a hand.

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (1)

Meaning (1)

Remnant (1)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartmwotmˤut to dive, drown, die

說文解字

《說文》:“沒,沈也。从水,从。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.208-209
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

jīng, jing pass through Traditional

Original meaning: warp thread

Originally written , which depicts weaving vertical (warp) threads on a loom. The (thread) component was added later. Based on the original meaning "warp thread". The meaning later expanded to "pass through", "regulate", and "classic books".

Components

Meaning component
silk

is a component form of .

SoundIconic component
jīng warp (textile)

Depicts weaving vertical (warp) threads on a loom.

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Warring States ~400 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Qin 221-206 BC
Seal form
Seal Qin 221-206 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartkengk-lˤeŋ loom; regulate; norm

說文解字

《說文》:“經,織也。从糸,巠聲。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫季旭昇《說文新證》p.804
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

yàn test Traditional

Original meaning: type of horse

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "type of horse". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components

Meaning component
horse
Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "type of horse", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.
Sound component
together

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartngjemHm-qʰr[a]m-s verify

說文解字

《說文》:“驗,馬名。从馬,僉聲。”

Sources

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