fèn​jīn​guī

dung beetle

fèn manure Simplified

Original meaning: to clean up

Depicts two hands () using a dustpan () to sweep away garbage or feces. Based on the original meaning "to clean up". The meaning later shifted to "manure".

Components

Iconic component
rice

Used here to depict garbage or feces.

Iconic component
its, his, (3p possessive)

Depicts a dustpan.

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

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.314漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode

jīn metal

Phonosemantic compound. and represent the meaning and represents the sound. depicts a metal axe and depicts two metal plates.

Components

SoundRemnant component
jīn now

Remnant from the top part of .

Iconic component
wáng king

Depicts a metal axe.

Iconic component
pitchpipe

Depicts two metal plates.

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Warring States ~300 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Warring States ~300 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Deleted (2)

Sound (0 of 2 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartkimk(r)[ə]m metal, bronze

說文解字

《說文》:“金,五色金也。黄為之長,久薶不生衣,百鍊不輕,从革不違。西方之行,生於土,从土,左右注象金在土中形,今聲。,古文金。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.925
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

guī turtle or tortoise Simplified

Simplified form of . Pictograph of a tortoise.

Sources

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

fèn manure Traditional

Original meaning: to clean up

Depicts two hands () using a dustpan () to sweep away garbage or feces. Based on the original meaning "to clean up". The meaning later shifted to "manure".

Components

Iconic component
rice

Used here to depict garbage or feces.

Iconic component
its, his, (3p possessive)

Depicts a dustpan.

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

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartpjunHp[u]r-s manure, dirt

說文解字

《說文》:“糞,棄除也。从廾推糞采也。官溥說:似米而非米者,矢字。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.314漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

guī turtle or tortoise Traditional

Pictograph of a tortoise.

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 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
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 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

Component uses

Sound (1)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartkjuw[k]ʷə tortoise
kwij[k]ʷrə tortoise

說文解字

《說文》:“龜,舊也,外骨內肉者也。从它,龜頭與它頭同,天地之性,廣肩無雄。龜鼈之類,以它為雄。象足、甲、尾之形。,古文龜。”

Sources

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