Late graph (Shuowen) . Traditional 號, which has 虎 1301 ‘tiger’, with left-side 号 (analyses differ): Ogawa takes as 口 22 ‘mouth’; ‘say’, with 丂 (‘floating waterweed’ 130 [Katō] or ‘curved knife’ [Shirakawa]) as phonetic with associated sense ‘howl, etc.’, while Yamada and Tōdō take as 号 (with same sense). Either analysis yields overall sense ‘howl, roar like a tiger’. The abbreviated modern form has a more generalized sense range; ‘name, number’ are extended meanings.’ YK1976:186-7; OT1968:161; TA1965:273-4; KJ1985:99.
Mnemonic: LOUD RISING VOICE CALLS OUT A NUMBER
298
L3
根
KON, ne
root, base
10 strokes
根本 KONPON basis
大根 DAIKON giant radish
屋根 yane roof
A late graph (Shuowen) . Has 木 73 ‘tree, wood’, and 艮 (‘stop and stare’, see 281) as phonetic with associated sense ‘root, stem’. In Tōdō’s word-family ‘stay still’. Thus the root/stem of a tree. ‘Origin’ and similar meanings are derived. KJ1970:411; YK1976:191-2; TA1965:706-7; KJ1985:319.
Mnemonic: STOP AND STARE AT TREE ROOT
299
L3
祭
SAI, matsuri, matsuru
festival, worship
11 strokes
祭日 SAIJITSU holiday
祭壇 SAIDAN altar
雪祭 yukimatsuri Snow Festival
OBI forms , . Bronze forms , . OBI forms are taken to show meat and wine being placed by hand on an altar (though such forms including ‘stand, altar’ are still uncommon compared with bronze forms). Usage was extended to ‘ceremonies to invoke the deities’. Later forms appear to have excluded the wine, the reasons for this being unclear. MS1995:v2:948-50; SS1984:339; KJ1970:599; YK1976:198. KJ1985:446-7; We suggest taking the elements as ‘altar’/‘show’ 723 示 (see also 153), 肉 209 ‘meat’, and ‘hand’ マ.
Mnemonic: HAND PUTS MEAT ON ALTAR IN FESTIVAL OF WORSHIP
300
L3
皿
sara
dish, bowl, plate
5 strokes
灰皿 haizara ashtray
大皿 ōzara large dish
皿洗い saraarai dishwashing
OBI forms , show deeply curved bowl on raised base. Later forms , show slightly more elaborate versions, probably being wrought in metal. MS1995:v2:900-02; QX2000: 179; MR2007:316; OT1968:690.
Mnemonic: DISH WITH VERTICAL STRIPES
301
L4
仕
SHI, JI, tsukaeru
serve, work, do
5 strokes
仕事 SHIgoto work
仕方 SHIkata way, means
仕組み SHIkumi arrangement
Bronze form onwards has 亻 41 ‘person’, and 士 521 (‘male’/‘samurai’) as phonetic with associated sense either ‘work, serve’ (Katō, Yamada), or ‘stand’ (Tōdō, Mizukami). Work in ancient China was often done by slaves, but later by servants, and so ‘serve’. Meanings given by Schuessler include ‘take office, serve, retainer, knight’. KJ1970:452; YK1976:214; TA1965:104-06; MS1995:v1:44-5 AS2007:465.
Mnemonic: SAMURAI IS PERSON WHO WORKS AND SERVES
302
L4
死
SHI, shinu
die, death
6 strokes
死体 SHITAI corpse
死去 SHIKYO death
若死に wakajini early death
OBI ; seal . OBI left-hand shows skeletal remains (possibly occipital bone); right-hand (person) is phonetic with associated sense i] ‘flesh rots and drops to ground’, giving ‘corpse turns to bleached bones free of flesh’ (Katō), or ii] ‘divided up into small pieces’, giving ‘die and bones come apart’ (Tōdō). In ancient China a person was only seen as dead when the corpse became a clean skeleton after exposure to weather (Mizukami). By block script, left-hand changed to 歹, and right-hand to 匕. Modern form comprises , known as ‘meatless bones’ (cf ‘meaty bone’ 骨 877), with ‘fallen person’ 匕 (see 258). KJ1970:466-7; SS1984:364; MS1995:v1:710-11; TA1965:762-4.
