辨证论治
biàn​zhèng​lùn​zhì

holistic treatment

辨 biàn distinguish

Original meaning: to cut into two parts

刂 (knife) added between two 辛 (chisel) components or 辡 conveying the original meaning "to cut into two parts". The meaning has shifted over time and now means "distinguish". 辡 also provides the sound.

Components

辡
辡 SoundIconic component
biàn criminals accusing one another

Here used to depict an object being cut into two parts. 辡 also gives the sound.

刂
刂 Iconic component
dāo knife

Depicts a knife.


Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartbjenX[b]renʔ distinguish

說文解字

《說文》：“辦，判也。从刀，辡聲。”

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)

证 zhèng proof Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 正 represents the sound. Simplified form of 證.

Components

讠
讠 Meaning component
yán speech

讠 is a component form of 言.

正
正 Sound component
zhèng, zheng, zhēng correct

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

论 lùn debate Simplified

Simplified form of 論. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 侖 represents the sound.

Components

讠
讠 Meaning component
yán speech

讠 is a component form of 言.

仑
仑 Sound component
lún, lùn logical reasons

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

治 zhì govern

Original meaning: river in Shandong

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 台 represents the sound. Originally referred to a river in Shandong province. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components

氵
氵 Meaning component
shui, shuǐ water

氵 is a component form of 水.

台
台 Sound component
tái platform
Change in sound

Character Evolution

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
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartdriC.lrə regulate, arrange
driHlrə-s regulate, arrange

說文解字

《說文》：“治，水。出東萊曲城陽丘山，南入海。从水，台聲。”

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

證 proof Traditional

Original meaning: to admonish

Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 登 represents the sound.

Components

言
言 Meaning component
yán speech
登
登 Sound component
dēng rise

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagarttsyingHtəŋ-s testify, prove

說文解字

《說文》：“證，告也。从言，登聲。”

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)

論 lùn debate Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 侖 represents the sound.

Components

言
言 Meaning component
yán speech
侖
侖 Sound component
arrange

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartlwin[r]u[n] (in name of Lúnyǔ 論語)
lwon[r]ˤu[n] discuss, examine
lwonH[r]ˤu[n]-s discussion, discourse

說文解字

《說文》：“論，議也。从言，侖聲。”

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)