shè​yǐng​biàn​huàn

projective transformation

shè shoot

Depicts a hand () pulling back a bowstring () with an arrow () to shoot. Later written as and .

Components

Iconic component
gōng bow

Depicts a bow.

Change in form
Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to than it was in ancient scripts.
IconicRemnant component
shǐ arrow

Depicts an arrow.

Change in form
Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to than it was in ancient scripts.
Iconic component
cùn, cun (hand), inch

Originally  but later reanalyzed as . 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 Late Western Zhou ~800 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
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 Three Kingdoms (Cao Wei) 222-280 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (4 of 6 verified)

Remnant (2)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartzyaeHCə.lAk-s shoot; archer
zyekCə.lAk hit with bow and arrow

說文解字

《說文》:“,弓弩發於身而中於遠也。从矢,从身。射,篆文从寸。寸,法度也,亦手也。”

Sources

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

yǐng shadow

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. The component depicts shadow lines.

Components

Iconic component
shān, xiǎn hair

Depicts shadow lines.

Sound component
jǐng scenery

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagart'jaengXqraŋʔ shadow (n.)

Sources

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

biàn change Simplified

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

Components

luán tie together
Change in sound
Simplified component
yòu again

Shorthand for the component in the traditional character . is a component form of .

Sources

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

huàn change Simplified

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

Components

Meaning component
shou, shǒu hand

is a component form of .

Sound component
huàn be numerous

Sources

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

biàn change Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components

Sound component
luán tie together
Change in sound
Meaning component
tap

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Early Warring States ~400 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

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartpjenHpro[n]-s change (v.)

說文解字

《說文》:“變,更也。从攴,聲。”

Sources

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

huàn change Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components

Meaning component
shou, shǒu hand

is a component form of .

Sound component
be numerous

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagarthwanH[ɢ]ʷˤa[n]-s change

說文解字

《說文》:“換,易也。从手,奐聲。”

Sources

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