顷刻间
qǐng​kè​jiān

instantly

顷 qǐng a measure of area equal to 100 畝 (mu) ~ 6.7 hectares Simplified

Original meaning: to have an inclined head

Simplified form of 頃. Depicts a person (匕) with their head (页) tilted or askew. Based on the original meaning "to have an inclined head", now written as 倾. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components

匕
匕 Iconic component
bǐ, pìn spoon, (person)

Depicts a person.

页
页 Iconic component
yè page

Depicts a tilted head.

Component uses

Sound (1)

倾

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫zi.tools黃德寬《古文字譜系疏證》p.2133
Readings & variants
Unicode

刻 kè carve

Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 亥 represents the sound.

Components

亥
亥 Sound component
hài, jiē 12th terrestrial branch
Change in sound
刂
刂 Meaning component
dāo knife

刂 is a component form of 刀.

Character Evolution

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

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartkhok[kʰ]ˤək cut, engrave

說文解字

《說文》：“刻，鏤也。从刀，亥聲。”

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)

间 jiān, jian, jiàn space Simplified

Simplified form of 間. Depicts sunlight (日) shining through the gap in a door (門).

Components

门
门 Iconic component
mén, men door
日
日 Iconic component
rì sun

Component uses

Sound (1 of 4 verified)

简涧锏裥

Meaning (0 of 1 verified)

涧

Sources

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

頃 qǐng a measure of area equal to 100 畝 (mu) ~ 6.7 hectares Traditional

Original meaning: to have an inclined head

Depicts a person (匕) with their head (頁) tilted or askew. Based on the original meaning "to have an inclined head", now written as 傾. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components

匕
匕 Iconic component
bǐ, pìn spoon, (person)

Depicts a person.

頁
頁 Iconic component
yè (head), page

Depicts a tilted head.


Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (1)

傾

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartkhjwiengX[k]ʷʰeŋʔ interval, short while

說文解字

《說文》：“頃，頭不正也。从匕，从頁。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫zi.tools黃德寬《古文字譜系疏證》p.2133
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

間 jiān, jian, jiàn space Traditional

Depicts sunlight (日) shining through the gap in a door (門).

Components

門
門 Iconic component
mén, men door
日
日 Iconic component
rì sun

Component uses

Sound (1 of 2 verified)

簡澗

Meaning (0 of 1 verified)

澗

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartkeankˤre[n] interval
keankˤre[n] 間關 sound of a chariot's linchpin (Ode 218.1)
heanN-kˤre[n] idle

Sources

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