Mnemonic: A PARENT SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR NEEDLES, EVEN FROM TREES
167
L4
図
ZU, TO, hakaru
plan, diagram
7 strokes
地図 CHIZU map
図画 ZUGA a drawing
図書館 TOSHOKAN library
Early form ; traditional form 圖. Taken as a sketch showing land within boundaries (Mizukawa, Katō), similar to some interpretations of 画 91 ‘draw’. Shirakawa takes it as granaries on agricultural land. MS1995:v1:260-61; KJ1970:909; SS1984:483.
Mnemonic: DIAGRAM ON PAPER SHEET SHOWS SPOT X WITH TWO POINTERS
168
L3
数
SŪ, kazu, kazoeru
number, count
13 strokes
数学 SŪGAKU mathematics
数日 SŪJITSU several days
数々 kazukazu numerous
Seal ; traditional 數. Has 攵 (攴 normally ‘beat, strike’ 112, but here ‘do something with the hands’), and 婁 (CO; ‘sorceress’) as phonetic with associated sense ‘count out loud’ (Katō), or ‘be linked’ (Mizukami). Shirakawa, though, takes the graph as originally depicting a woman with a chignon, which is then dishevelled by someone’s hands (攵) to denote ‘blame, reproach’ (now a minor meaning in Chinese). MS1995:v1:582-3,336-7; KJ1970:499; SS1984:490-91. We suggest taking the modern form as 米 220 ‘rice’, 女 37 ‘woman’, and ‘use of hands’ 攵 112.
Mnemonic: WOMAN COUNTS NUMBER OF RICE GRAINS BY HAND
169
L5
西
SEI, SAI, nishi
west
6 strokes
西洋 SEIYŌ the West
関西 KANSAI Kansai region
西日 nishibi afternoon sun
OBI and other early forms seem to depict a basket (Mizukami, Shirakawa), or ‘wine press’ (Katō), while Ma and Schuessler say ‘nest’. From the outset, it appears to have been a loan for ‘west’. MS1995:v2:1174-5; SS1984:493; MR2007:457; AS2007:522; KJ1985:550-1. Taking the modern form as a wine jar may be helpful.
Mnemonic: TIME FOR A JAR – THE SUN IS IN THE WEST
170
L4
声
SEI, SHŌ, koe
voice
7 strokes
声援 SEIEN vocal support
大音声 DAIONJŌ loud voice
泣き声 nakigoe sobbing voice
Traditional 聲. OBI is taken as 磬 ‘qing – ancient Chinese musical instrument with suspended stones and striker’ (声 is based on pictograph of a qing, with 殳, another form of ‘hand holding something to strike with’) and 耳 31 ‘ear’ to give overall meaning ‘listen to instrument’, and by extension ‘sound, voice’. In the OBI form, Shirakawa takes 口 22 ‘mouth’ as a receptacle for written incantations). MS1995:v2:1060-61; MR2007:459; SS1984:493-4. We suggest taking modern form as 士 521 ‘samurai’, with lower element as variant of ‘door’ 戸 120.
Mnemonic: VOICE OF SAMURAI AT DOOR
171
L3
星
SEI, SHŌ, hoshi
star
9 strokes
火星 KASEI Mars
明星 MYŌJŌ Venus
流れ星 nagareboshi shooting star
Some of the OBI forms such as , have up to five circular or roughly square shapes similar to 日 66 ‘sun’ (with or without 生), and these presumed ‘sources of light’ represent stars pictographically. Mizukami treats 晶 (1502, ‘clear/bright/crystal’) as the original form of 星, while Ma treats the two as separate graphs. 生 44 (‘birth, life’) here is phonetic with associated sense ‘clear’. Tōdō has 星 and 晶 in same word-family ‘clear’. MS1995:v1:626-8; MR2007:357-8; TA1965:488-91.
Mnemonic: STARS ARE BORN FROM THE SUN
172
L3
晴
SEI, hareru
clear, bright
12 strokes
晴天 SEITEN clear sky
晴々 harebare bright
晴れ着 haregi best clothes
A very late graph; not listed in Shuowen (Schuessler gives Yupian ‘Jade Chapters’ – a Chinese dictionary compiled ca. 543AD – as an early reference). Made up of semantic element 日 66 ‘sun/bright’, with 青 45 (‘blue/green’) as phonetic with associated sense ‘clear, fresh’. OT1968:471; AS2007:431-2, 539.
Mnemonic: BRIGHT SUN AGAINST BLUE MEANS CLEAR WEATHER
relatives. SS1984:472, 478; MS1995:v1:668-9, 1178-9.
