Simplified
Original meaning: warp thread
Simplified form of 經. Originally written 巠, which depicts weaving vertical (warp) threads on a loom. The 纟 (thread) component was added later. Based on the original meaning "warp thread". The meaning later expanded to "pass through", "regulate", and "classic books".
Components
Original meaning: raincoat made from straw or grass
Depicts a woven raincoat (衣) made from either grass or straw. Based on the original meaning "raincoat made from straw or grass", now written as 蓑. The meaning later shifted to "weaken" and "decline".
Components
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | tshwoj | [s.r̥]ˤruj | mourning clothes |
| tsrhjwe | [tsʰ]roj | reduce | |
| srwij | sruj | diminish, decline |
說文解字
《說文》：“衰，艸雨衣。秦謂之萆。从衣象形。，古文衰。”
Sources
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)
Original meaning: take away a sacrificial offering
Depicts moving (辶) a sacrificial grain offering (簋) away. Based on the original meaning "take away a sacrificial offering". The meaning later shifted to "withdraw" and "retreat".
Components
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | thwojH | n̥ˤ[u]p-s | withdraw (≠ advance) |
Sources
- Character origin
- 季旭昇《說文新證》p.129-130
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
Traditional
Original meaning: warp thread
Originally written 巠, which depicts weaving vertical (warp) threads on a loom. The 糹 (thread) component was added later. Based on the original meaning "warp thread". The meaning later expanded to "pass through", "regulate", and "classic books".
Components
Character Evolution
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | keng | k-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
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)
Traditional
Original meaning: [name of river]
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 齊 represents the sound.
Components
Character Evolution
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | tsejX | [ts]ˤ[i]jʔ | numerous |
| tsejX | [ts]ˤəjʔ | stately | |
| tsejX | [ts]ˤəjʔ | [river name] | |
| tsejH | [ts]ˤ[i]j(ʔ)-s | cross a stream; rescue | |
| tsejH | [ts]ˤ[i]j(ʔ)-s | stop |
說文解字
《說文》：“濟，水。出常山房子贊皇山，東入泜。从水，齊聲。”
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)