稳态理论
wěn​tài​lǐ​lùn

steady-state theory

稳 wěn settled, stable Simplified

Simplified form of 穩. Phonosemantic compound. 禾 represents the meaning and 㥯 represents the sound.

Components

禾
禾 Meaning component
hé grain stalk

grain

急
急 Simplified component
jí urgent

Shorthand for the phonetic 㥯 component in the traditional character 穩.

Sources

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

态 tài manner Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 太 represents the sound. Simplified form of 態.

Components

太
太 Sound component
tài, tai very
心
心 Meaning component
xīn, xin heart

Sources

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

理 lǐ, li reason

Original meaning: cut jade

Phonosemantic compound. 𤣩 represents the meaning and 里 represents the sound.

Components

𤣩
𤣩 Meaning component
yù jade

𤣩 is a component form of 玉.

Change in meaning
𤣩 hints at the original meaning of 理, "cut jade", which is no longer the most common meaning of 理 in modern Mandarin.
里
里 Sound component
lǐ, li village

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Seal form
Seal Qin 221-206 BC
Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 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-SagartliXm(ə).rəʔ cut jade; regulate
liXm(ə).rəʔ reason; principle

說文解字

《說文》：“理，治玉也。从玉，里聲。”

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)

论 lùn debate Simplified

Simplified form of 論. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 侖 represents the sound.

Components

讠
讠 Meaning component
yán speech

讠 is a component form of 言.

仑
仑 Sound component
lún, lùn logical reasons

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

穩 wěn settled, stable Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 禾 represents the meaning and 㥯 represents the sound.

Components

禾
禾 Meaning component
hé grain stalk
㥯
㥯 Sound component
yǐn careful

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld Chinese
Zhengzhangqʷɯːnʔ
Unicodequə̌n

說文解字

《說文新附》：“穩，蹂穀聚也。一曰安也。从禾，隱省。古通用安隱。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

態 tài manner Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 能 represents the sound.

Components

能
能 Sound component
néng to be able
Change in sound
心
心 Meaning component
xīn, xin heart

Character Evolution

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

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartthojHn̥ˤə-s bearing, manner

說文解字

《說文》：“態，意也。从心，从能。，或从人。”

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)

論 lùn debate Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 侖 represents the sound.

Components

言
言 Meaning component
yán speech
侖
侖 Sound component
arrange

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartlwin[r]u[n] (in name of Lúnyǔ 論語)
lwon[r]ˤu[n] discuss, examine
lwonH[r]ˤu[n]-s discussion, discourse

說文解字

《說文》：“論，議也。从言，侖聲。”

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)