méng​xiū

disgraced

méng, mēng, měng cover

Original meaning: a parasitic vine

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Originally the name of a plant, later meanings coincide with the original meaning of (to cover).

Components

Meaning component
cao, cǎo grass
Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "a parasitic vine", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.
Sound component
méng to cover

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Warring States 475-221 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 BC
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
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 9 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartmuwngmˤoŋ cover (v.)

說文解字

《說文》:“蒙,王女也。从艸,冡聲。”

Sources

Character origin
李學勤 《字源》 p.58
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

xiū shy, ashamed

Original meaning: offer a delicacy

Depicts a hand () holding sheep meat (). Based on the original meaning "offer a delicacy", now written as . The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components

Iconic component
yáng sheep
SoundIconic component
chǒu second earthly branch; (simp.) ugly

Depicts a hand.


Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Shang ~1100 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Shang ~1100 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
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

Component uses

Sound (2)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartsjuws-nu shame

說文解字

《說文》:“羞,進獻也。从羊,羊所進也;从丑,丑亦聲。”

Sources

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