zhàng​yì​shū​cái

generous and loyal

zhàng weaponry, war

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components

Meaning component
rén person

is a component form of .

Sound component
zhàng unit of length ~ 3 meters

Character Evolution

Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld Chinese
Zhengzhangdaŋʔ
daŋs
Unicodedjhiɑ̀ng
djhiɑ̌ng

Sources

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

justice Simplified

Adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character . Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. In ancient China sheep () were associated with goodness and beauty, which is why is a component in characters like (beautiful), (benevolent), and (justice).

Components

yáng sheep
I; me
Change in sound

Component uses

Sound (1 of 4 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

shū wide apart

Original meaning: unblock, get things flowing

Phonosemantic compound. represents the sound and represents the meaning. Based on the original meaning "unblock, get things flowing". The meaning later shifted to "open up", "sparse", "wide apart", and "neglect".

Components

Sound component
pǐ, shū, yǎ foot
Meaning component
liú birth

Character Evolution

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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (1)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartsrjosra wide apart

說文解字

《說文》:“疏,通也。从,从疋,疋亦聲。”

Sources

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

cái wealth Simplified

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

Components

Meaning component
bèi sea shell

In ancient China, shells were used as currency.

Sound component
cái, cai talent

Sources

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

right conduct Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. In ancient China sheep () were associated with goodness and beauty, which is why is a component in characters like (beautiful), (benevolent), and (justice).

Components

Meaning component
yáng sheep
Sound component
I; me
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 Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Warring States ~400 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 Qin 221-206 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 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 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 Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (2 of 4 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartngjeHŋ(r)aj-s duty; justice

說文解字

《說文》:“義,己之威儀也。从我羊。羛,《墨翟書》義从弗。魏郡有羛陽鄉,讀若錡。今屬鄴,本內黃北二十里。”

Sources

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

cái wealth Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components

Meaning component
bèi sea shell

In ancient China, shells were used as currency.

Sound component
cái, cai talent

Character Evolution

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
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartdzoj[dz]ˤə wealth

說文解字

《說文》:“財,人所寶也。从貝,才聲。”

Sources

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