Original meaning: rub between fingers
Depicts grain (來) being rolled between the fingers in the left hand (左). Based on the original meaning "rub between fingers", now written as 搓. The meaning later shifted to "uneven" and "error".
Components
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | tsrhae | tsʰraj | distinction; to select |
| tsrhea | [tsʰ]raj | distinction; to select | |
| tsrheaj | [tsʰ](ˤ)raj | distinction; to select | |
| tsrhje | tsʰraj | 參差 uneven | |
| tsha | [tsʰ]ˤaj | rub, polish, file (v.) |
說文解字
貳也。差不相值也。从左从𠂹。
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)
The characters 史 (history), 吏 (government official), 使 (cause; use; instruct), and 事 (matter; work; affair) are all etymologically related and all derive from the same ancient character, depicting a hand (又) holding a container for writing utensils.
Components
Character Evolution
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | sriX | s-rəʔ | send; cause |
| sriH | s-rəʔ-s | envoy |
說文解字
《說文》：“使，伶也。从人，吏聲。”
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)