者 has no dot. It is worth remarking here that there is a note appended to the list to the effect that very minor variation in shape of this type (where it is also within the accepted boundaries of shape variation for a particular character) is permissible in actual usage. This appears to be mainly to allow for the fact that such minor differences are sometimes not recognized in the modern computerized printed fonts.
7.3 Readings, Meanings, Stroke Count
Each entry has the on and/or kun reading(s) given to the right of the character at the head of the entry. Beneath the readings are given the English translation and stroke count. Beneath the translation and stroke count, examples are given of compounds in which the character concerned is used. Bear in mind that the meanings given to the elements that make up the individual characters in this book are based on etymology and therefore may differ from meanings found in a modern character dictionary such as Nelson’s The Modern Reader’s Japanese-English Character Dictionary. An example of this is 壬, originally a pictograph of a spinning spool or spool-shaped toy, which is listed in Nelson’s Dictionary as the ‘9th calendar sign’; this is because Nelson is focused on the modern meaning, not the historical etymology.
7.4 OBI, Bronze, and Seal Forms
Most entries start off by giving one or more early forms consisting of OBI, bronze, and/or seal equivalents, depending on how far back a particular character can be traced. Scholars often vary as to whether they recognize an OBI or bronze form for a given character, and this can happen sometimes with the seal forms too, depending on whether a particular form is accepted as a genuine earlier equivalent. For this reason, the inclusion of an OBI, bronze, or seal form should be taken as a guide only. If such a form is given, it is included as a representative shape: it does not necessarily mean that other shapes for that character at that same stage do not exist. Rather, it reflects the reality that in this book it is not practical to list or explore all the varying early shapes identified for one and the same character.
7.5 System of Cross-Referencing
In the explanatory text to many entries, readers will see numbers immediately following character components; these are intended to serve as a system of cross-referencing. To illustrate this, let us look at 空 (character no.17). This is made up of the two elements 穴 ‘hole, cave’ and 工 ‘work’, which themselves occur as character entries 860 and 125 respectively, hence the text explaining 空 refers to those same two elements as ‘穴 860’ and ‘工 125’. Numbers such as these are the main system of referencing and cross-referencing in this book. An example of this is 夏 88 ‘summer’: in this entry the traditional form is noted as having determinative no.35 夊 as the lower element, whereas the standard modern form has a different element of similar shape, i.e., determinative no.34 夂. Readers of this book need not overly concern themselves with the system of 214 determinatives, which is used in most Japanese character dictionaries today just as it has been for some centuries. Nelson’s dictionary utilises a modified version of the 214 determinative system which provides some ingenious modifications making it convenient for the modern user, albeit at the cost of obliterating a small number of significant traditional differences.
7.6 Individual Etymologies; Mnemonics
Sometimes the explanation of a particular character is a clear-cut one, indicating general agreement regarding the etymology concerned. Often, though, scholars vary in their analysis of a specific character, in which case several or more different interpretations are given. The abbreviated references at or towards the end of the explanation for each character indicate the scholars whose work has been referred to. Where several different interpretations are given, they should be taken as examples of varying opinion rather than an exhaustive listing of all opinions. In the course of compiling the explanations for the 2,136 character entries in this book, discussion and comments have been included as judged appropriate. Some entries have more detailed discussion added in the form of a note, given before the references; readers who are looking for less detail need not concern themselves with the notes.
Feedback from the original edition of this book shows that many readers find mnemonics helpful for memorizing characters. For readers who need this feature, a mnemonic is included at the bottom of each and every entry. Note carefully that the mnemonic is intended purely to help memorize the character shape; it does not necessarily reflect the actual etymology of the character concerned.
8 Sources Used and Terminology in This Book
8.1 Sources Used
The early and pre-modern dictionaries introduced were referred to as noted above (Section 5), extensively so in the case of Shuowen jiezi and Kangxi zidian. Extensive use was made also of work by Japanese and Chinese scholars, particularly the former. Just a few will be singled out for mention here. For OBI and bronze forms, Mizukami’s Kōkotsu kinbun jiten was particularly helpful, as it makes use of primary material from the Chinese Academy of Sciences such as that contained in 甲骨文編 Jiaguwen bian (Collected Oracle Bone Characters; J.: Kōkotsubun hen), and 金文編 Jinwen bian (Collected Bronze Characters; J.: Kinbun hen) (one of several editions). For clerical script, Sano’s Mokkan jiten was invaluable. For word-families in Chinese, Tōdō’s Kanji gogen jiten was an important source. Among works by Chinese scholars, Qiu’s Wenzixue gaiyao (referred to in its English translation: Chinese Writing) provided many insights, and Gu’s Hanzi yuanliu zidian (Dictionary of Origin and Development of Chinese Characters) was helpful for many relatively obscure characters and its analyses. In English, the work by Schuessler entitled ABC Etymological Dictionary of Old Chinese often provided a useful perspective from the viewpoint of reconstructed linguistic forms. Works such as the above have been noted as references to individual entries where they were used; in addition, Satō’s Kanji hyakka daijiten was of considerable general use overall.
8.2 Terminology in This Book (arranged alphabetically)
Character and graph are used only for stylistic variation, and without any significant difference of meaning. They refer to the symbols known in Japanese as 漢字 kanji and in Chinese as 漢字/汉字 hanzi.
CO Chinese-only characters: see under NJK.
Complex graph/character refers to a character which can be analyzed into two or more meaningful elements, e.g. 因 can be divided into 囗 ‘enclose, surround’ (determinative 31) and 大 56 ‘big’, as opposed to 竹, which cannot be broken down into smaller elements each of which has meaning.
Compound graph/character: see Complex graph/character.
‘Determinative’ refers to a recurrent element (character shape), usually meaningful, and typically within the set of 214 such elements first set out in the Zihui dictionary published in China in 1615. Determinatives can occur as independent characters (there are one or two exceptions such as 艸 ‘plants, vegetation’, which occurs only in compound characters, in the form 艹), or as elements in compound characters such as 木 73 ‘tree’ in 松 536 ‘pine tree’. The term ‘radical’ has traditionally been used in the past for ‘determinative’, but is less preferable because the meaning ‘root’ inherent in the etymology of the word ‘radical’ suggests that an element so labelled has been a feature of a compound graph from the outset, whereas in almost all cases the determinative/radical was added later, as explained in Section 2 above (‘Formational Principles of the Chinese Script’).
Element and graph element are used without significant difference of meaning. Either term may refer either to a constituent part of a particular graph which can occur only as a dependent element, e.g. 氵 ‘water’ as part of a more complex graph such as 海 94 ‘sea’, or to a constituent element in a compound graph which can occur independently, e.g. 耳 31 ‘ear’ in 聞 219 ‘hear’.
