Page:Elementary Chinese - San Tzu Ching (1900).djvu/62

 the meaning may be obtained. It was originally classed under the latter as radical, but is now under the former, and is also a common surname.

Tzŭ was originally a picture of the human nose, and it is still found in the ordinary word 鼻 pi a nose. Its earliest known sense seems to have been to follow; hence, from. Its later sense of self may have grown up by attraction, i.e. attraction of the self in 自己 tzŭ chi (= from self) from the chi to the tzŭ, the former being gradually dropped.

Tzŭ see.

Sun see.

Chih under its old form was supposed to resemble birds flying downwards and reaching the earth. It is often used as a superlative = very, extreme.

Yüan is here used for 𤣥 hsüan black, a character which is taboo under the present dynasty, having been part of the personal name of the Emperor K'ang Hsi, A.D. 1662—1723. It means great great grandson, preceding tsêng merely for the jingle's sake. The son of this descendant is called 耳孫 êrh sun ear grandson, being one who can only have heard of his ancestor, not seen him.

Tsêng see.