Page:Elementary Chinese - San Tzu Ching (1900).djvu/44

26

Jih was originally a circle containing an irregular line, and may be regarded as a picture character. It came to be used also in the sense of day.

Yüeh was originally a picture of the crescent moon, which may be faintly traced even in its modern form. It came to be used for lunar month, twelve of which go to the year, the difference between the lunar and solar years being made up by seven intercalary months in nineteen years.

Hsing was originally 生 shêng to produce as phonetic, with three circles at the points of its then trident-like form. Under a later form these circles became three 日 jih suns, which combination was then the radical of the character. These were reduced to one, its modern radical. It is explained as the pure, ethereal portion of the universe, which rises to heaven and manifests itself as stars.

San see.

Kang is composed of 糹ssŭ silk as radical, with 岡 kang a mountain ridge as phonetic. It originally meant a rope, together, and must be carefully distinguished from 網 wang a net.

Chê see.

Chün is composed of 尹 yin to rule, with 口 k'ou mouth as