胜券在握
shèng​quàn​zài​wò

victory is in sight

胜 shèng victory Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 生 represents the sound. Simplified form of 勝.

Components

⺼
⺼ Meaning component
ròu meat, flesh

⺼ is a component form of 肉.

生
生 Sound component
shēng, sheng life

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangsleːŋ

說文解字

《說文》：“胜，犬膏臭也。从肉，生聲。一曰不孰也。”

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)

券 quàn certificate

Components

龹
龹 Sound component
juǎn to roll rice into a ball
刀
刀 Meaning component
dāo knife

knife

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangkʰons

說文解字

契也。从刀𢍏聲。券別之書，以刀判契其旁，故曰契券。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

在 zài be at

Composed of 才 and 士, which both represent the sound.

Components

才
才 Sound component
cái, cai talent
士
士 Sound component
shì, shi scholar, soldier

Modern form looks like 土, but is unrelated.

Change in sound

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 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 Spring and Autumn ~500 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

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

茬

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartdzojX[dz]ˤəʔ be at, be present

說文解字

《說文》：“在，存也。从土，才聲。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.908
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

握 wò grasp

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 屋 represents the sound.

Components

扌
扌 Meaning component
shou, shǒu hand

扌 is a component form of 手.

屋
屋 Sound component
wū house, room

Character Evolution

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

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld Chinese
Zhengzhangqroːɡ
Unicodeqak

說文解字

《說文》：“握，搤持也。从手，屋聲。，古文握。”

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)

勝 shèng victory Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 力 represents the meaning and 朕 represents the sound.

Components

朕
朕 Sound component
zhèn pronoun 'I'
力
力 Meaning component
lì, li power

Character Evolution

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
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 Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 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-Sagartsyingl̥əŋ equal to, capable of
syingHl̥əŋ-s overcome; surpass

說文解字

《說文》：“勝，任也。从力，朕聲。”

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)