Some variation in OBI forms (e.g. , ), but generally taken to show a phoenix or other large bird (modern 鳳), often with a phonetic element corresponding to modern 凡 1993. Fierce winds, including typhoons, were perceived in ancient times as a harmful bird bringing danger, so already at the OBI stage this ‘bird graph’ was adopted as a loan for strong winds, and winds in general. In seal script, ‘bird’ was replaced by ‘insect, reptile’ 虫 60, another harmful entity, as in the modern graph. The phonetic element may be onomatopoeic for the sound of a typhoon (Mizukami), or have an associated meaning ‘big’ (Yamada), or ‘shake’ (Tōdō). MS1995:v2:1452-3,1496-7; YK1976:435-6; TA1965:825-9.
Mnemonic: STYLISH INSECT GETS BLOWN BY THE WIND
218
L5
分
BUN, FUN, BU, wakaru/keru/katsu
divide, minute, understand
4 strokes
分子 BUNSHI molecule
一分 IPPUN one minute
分かり wakari understanding
Has 刀 198 ‘knife/cut’, and 八 70 ‘divide’, the latter as both semantic and phonetic, meaning ‘cut in two’; a member of Tōdō’s word-family ‘cut in two’. MS1995:v1:124-5; KJ1970:256; TA1965:726-9.
Mnemonic: UNDERSTAND THAT ONE CAN DIVIDE BY CUTTING IN TWO
219
L5
聞
BUN, MON, kiku/koeru
hear, ask, listen
14 strokes
新聞 SHINBUN newspaper
聴聞 CHŌMON a hearing
聞き違い kikichigai mishearing
OBI has ‘person’ with hand to exaggeratedly large ‘ear’: parallel formational construction is found with 見 20 ‘see’. Bronze script then shows some variation, and seal script becomes standardized as 耳 31 ‘ear’ with 門 231 (‘door’/‘gate’) as phonetic with associated sense ‘distinguish’. The other meaning ‘ask’ (a word with slightly different pronunciation from ‘hear’ in early Chinese) might represent a loan usage. MS1995:v2:1060-61; KJ1970:834-5; YK1976:442; MR2007:459; AS2007:514.
Mnemonic: AN EAR AT THE DOOR MEANS SOMEONE IS LISTENING
220
L3
米
BEI, MAI, kome
rice, America
6 strokes
米価 BEIKA price of rice
米国 BEIKOKU America
白米 HAKUMAI white rice
OBI , based on pictograph of ears of grain. Katō takes the horizontal line as chaff. The graph now stands for ‘rice’, but disputed whether originally rice grains were represented, or millet. The sense ‘America’ is based on an old on reading ME, formerly used to write 亜 米 利 加 AMERIKA. KJ1970:840-41; YK1976:444-5; SS1984:765-6.
Mnemonic: GRAIN-LADEN AMERICAN RICE PLANTS
221
L4
歩
HO, BU, aruku, ayumu
walk, rate
8 strokes
進歩 SHINPO progress
歩合 BUai ratio
歩き出す arukidasu start walking
Traditional form is 步. The most complete OBI graph has ‘crossroads’ with ‘left foot’ and ‘right foot’, to represent ‘walk’. KJ1970:156; MS1995:v1:703-4; YK1976:449. We suggest taking the modern graph as ‘foot/stop’ 止 143 (q.v.) and ‘few’ 少 160.
Mnemonic: FOOT STOPS AFTER JUST A FEW PACES OF WALKING
222
L5
母
BO, haha
mother
5 strokes
母性 BOSEI maternity
お母様 okāsama* Mother
母親 hahaoya mother
OBI forms onwards are based on picto-graph of woman 女 37 with exaggerated breasts and nipples. KJ1970:859; YK1976:451; SS1984:780-81.
Mnemonic: A MOTHER IS A WOMAN WITH PROMINENT NIPPLES
223
L4
方
HŌ, kata
side, way, person, direction, square
4 strokes
方角 HŌGAKU direction
親方 oyakata boss
見方 mikata way of looking
The OBI form appears generally to be taken as based on a pictograph of a plowshare. All modern meanings are loan usages. MR2007:395-6; KJ1970:762-3; YK1976:452.
Mnemonic: PLOW OFF TO ONE SIDE – THAT’S THE DIRECTION
FŪSEN balloon
