Page:Elementary Chinese - San Tzu Ching (1900).djvu/167



Wei see.

I see.

Ching see title. [Lines — are formed upon an old proverb which is given in the biography of 韋賢 Wei Hsien, a statesman and scholar of the 1st cent. B.C. Hence the use of the word ching, which would otherwise seem presumptuous.]

Ch'in see.

Yu see.

Kung is composed of 力 li strength as radical, with 工 kung labour as phonetic and part contributor to the sense, which was originally effort for the benefit of a State.

Hsi is composed of 戈 ko a spear as radical, with a phonetic meaning an earthen sacrificial vessel. The original sense of the word is doubtful. It now means play of a trifling kind, and is also applied to stage-plays.

Wu see.

I is composed of 皿 min dishes as radical, and a corruption of 水 shui water, which taken together are supposed to yield the idea of fullness, abundance, the original sense of this character.