zhēn needle Simplified

Simplified form of . Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components

Meaning component
jīn metal

is a component form of .

Sound component
shí ten
Change in sound

Historical Pronunciations

Sources

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

jiān sharp

Components

Meaning component
xiǎo small
Meaning component
dà, dài big

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangʔslem

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang

r, ér child Simplified

Simplified form of . Variant form of , a pictograph of a human.

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Simplified (1)

Meaning (0 of 1 verified)

說文解字

《說文》:“儿,仁人也。古文奇字人也。象形。孔子曰:在人下,故詰屈。”

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical images
Academia Sinica

duì correct Simplified

Original meaning: develop land

Simplified form of . Depicts a hand () holding a farming tool () to develop land (). Based on the original meaning "develop land".

Components

Simplified component
yòu again

Shorthand for the left half of .

Iconic component
cùn, cun (hand), inch

Depicts a hand.

Component uses

Simplified (1)

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.169-171漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode

mài wheat Simplified

Simplified form of . The top component depicts a stalk of wheat. The bottom component depicts roots.

Components

lái come

Depicts a stalk of wheat.

Iconic component
characterless component

Depicts roots.


Character Evolution

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

Component uses

Iconic (1)

Remnant (1)

Meaning (0 of 1 verified)

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

說文解字

《說文》:“麥,芒穀。秋穜厚薶,故謂之麥。麥,金也。金王而生,火王而死。从來,有穗者。从夕。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.465
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical images
Academia Sinica

máng silvergrass

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components

Meaning component
cao, cǎo grass

is a component form of .

Sound component
wáng death

Character Evolution

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 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 Jin 266-420 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 3 verified)

Meaning (0 of 2 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartxwangXm̥ˤaŋʔ obscure, confused
mangmˤaŋ awn, beard of grain

說文解字

《說文》:“芒,艸耑。从艸,亾聲。”

Sources

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

zhēn needle Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components

Meaning component
jīn metal
Sound component
shí ten
Change in sound

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagarttsyimt.[k]əm needle

Sources

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

r, ér son Traditional

Pictograph of a child () with an opening in the top of its head (). Represents the soft spot (fontanel) at the top of young infant heads. The component is written like .

Components

Iconic component
xìn fontanel

Depicts the gap between the bones in an infant skull.

Iconic component
rén, ren person

Depicts a human.


Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Shang ~1100 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Spring and Autumn ~600 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 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
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

Sound (0 of 6 verified)

Meaning (0 of 2 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartnyeŋe child

說文解字

《說文》:“兒,孺子也。从儿,象小兒頭囟未合。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.687
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

duì correct Traditional

Original meaning: develop land

Depicts a hand () holding a farming tool () to develop land (). Based on the original meaning "develop land".

Components

Iconic component
zhuó chisel

Depicts a farming tool.

Iconic component
earth
Iconic component
cùn, cun (hand), inch

Depicts a hand.


Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
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 Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
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
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagarttwojH[t]ˤ[u]p-s respond

說文解字

《說文》:“,譍無方也。从丵,从口,从寸。對,或从土。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.169-171漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

mài wheat Traditional

The top component depicts a stalk of wheat. The bottom component depicts roots.

Components

SoundIconic component
lái come

Depicts a stalk of wheat.

Iconic component
characterless component

Depicts roots.


Character Evolution

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

Component uses

Meaning (3 of 5 verified)

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

Iconic (1)

Remnant (1)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartmeakm-rˤək (dialect: *m-rˤ > *mˤr-)wheat

說文解字

《說文》:“麥,芒穀。秋穜厚薶,故謂之麥。麥,金也。金王而生,火王而死。从來,有穗者。从夕。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.465
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica