Page:Elementary Chinese - San Tzu Ching (1900).djvu/104

 to have meant to pick up with the 爪 chao claws, fingers. It originally signified to weigh, hence to estimate, to entitle. Read it is a weighing-machine.

Shêng is composed of 成 ch'êng as phonetic, and an obsolete radical 皿 min dishes. Read it means to hold, to contain.

Shih see. [Père Zottoli seems to have pressed the hsiang too closely, "mutuique honoris observantia, nuncupatur florentissima ætas." Eitel misses the meaning of both lines, "who in mutual deference successively resigned, Though they were by reputation most prosperous rulers." He has evidently read 治 for 世 with "Chan Yo-han."]

Hsia see.

Yu see.

Yü originally meant insects, and 虫 ch'ung insects might well have been chosen as its radical. It is however classed under an obsolete word 內 jou the footprints of certain animals, and here stands for the wise Minister, afterwards first Emperor of the Hsia dynasty, popularly known as 大禹 ta yü the Great Yü, who reigned B.C. 2205—2197. He is chiefly famous for having drained the empire of a vast body of water, which some have tried to identify with Noah's flood.

Shang is composed of 內 nei inside, with 口 k'ou mouth inside it, the two forming an old radical, with 章 chang a document, abbreviated, as phonetic. It is now classed under radical 口 k'ou