dú​xiě​néng​lì

literacy

read Simplified

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

Components

Meaning component
yán speech

is a component form of .

Simplified component
mài, mai sell

Simplified from the 𧸇 component in the traditional character .

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

xiě write Simplified

Original meaning: relocate

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "relocate". The meaning later shifted to "copy" and "write". The simplified character was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character .

Components

Meaning component
cover

is a component form of .

Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "relocate", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.
Simplified component
yǔ, yù and

Shorthand for the component in the traditional character .

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

néng to be able

Original meaning: bear

Pictograph of a bear. Based on the original meaning "bear". The meaning of this character has shifted over time to mean "strong" and "ability, power". Original form of .

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 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
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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Iconic (2)

Sound (1)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartnojnˤə a kind of bear
nongnˤə(ŋ) a kind of bear
nongnˤə(ʔ)
(~ *nˤəŋ)
able; ability

說文解字

《說文》:“能,熊屬,足似鹿。从肉,聲。能獸堅中,故稱賢能,而彊壯稱能傑也。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫季旭昇《說文新證》p.752
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

lì, li power

Pictograph of a plow, which requires strength to operate.

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Warring States ~400 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 BC
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

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartlikk.rək strength

說文解字

《說文》:“力,筋也。象人筋之形。治功曰力,能圉大災。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫季旭昇《說文新證》p.918-919
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

read Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and 𧸇 represents the sound.

Components

Meaning component
yán speech
𧸇
𧸇 Sound component
to sell

The original sound component 𧸇 was later corrupted to the visually and semantically similar character .

Change in sound

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Three Kingdoms (Cao Wei) 222-280 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartduwkC.lˤok read (v.)

說文解字

《說文》:“讀,誦書也。从言,賣聲。”

Sources

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

xiě write Traditional

Original meaning: relocate

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "relocate". The meaning later shifted to "copy" and "write".

Components

Meaning component
mián roof
Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "relocate", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.
Sound component
xì, què, tuō a shoe

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartsjaeXs-qʰAʔ depict
sjaeXs-qʰAʔ drain off

說文解字

《說文》:“寫,置物也。从宀,舄聲。”

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica