Shan was originally composed of 羊 yang sheep (line 77) and 言 yen words (line 118) doubled. The latter portion has been corrupted, and the character is now classed under radical 口 k'ou mouth (line 263). It is noteworthy that sheep enters into several characters referring to excellence, duty, property, etc. See line 14.
| 3. | 性 | 相 | 近 | Their natures are much the same; | |
| Hsing4 | hsiang1 | chin4 | |||
| Nature | mutual | near |
Hsing see line 2.
Hsiang is composed of 目 mu eye (line 262) as radical and 木 mu tree (line 66), and originally meant to peer, to scrutinise. It is explained in the Canon of Changes (line 135) as inability to see through trees, hence to look at; which may be compared with the derivation of lucus a non lucendo. In this sense it is now read hsiang4. Read hsiang1, it means mutual, reciprocal; but it is often a complementary particle of very elusive value, signifying direction towards anybody or anything.
Chin is composed of 斤 chin an axe-head, a Chinese pound weight (= 1⅓ lb. av., probably adopted from the weight of the axe-head) as phonetic, and the contraction of an obsolete word 辵 cho (辶 in composition) meaning to go on and stop as radical. The latter is commonly seen in characters dealing with movement, and is popularly known as the walking radical.
| 4. | 習 | 相 | 遠 | their habits become widely different. | |
| Hsi2 | hsiang1 | yüan3 | |||
| Practice | mutual | far |
Hsi is composed of 羽 yü feathers as radical and 白 pai white, and seems to have been associated with young birds practising flight.
Hsiang see line 3.
Yüan is composed of the walking radical and a common phonetic.
