Page:Elementary Chinese - San Tzu Ching (1900).djvu/31

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The San Tzŭ Ching
13


21. If the child does not learn,
Tzŭ3 pu1 hsüeh2
Child not learn


Tzŭ see line 11.

Pu see line 5.

Hsüeh see line 11.


22. this is not as it should be.
Fei1 so3 i2
Not what ought


Fei is supposed to resemble a pair of wings placed back to back; hence, to turn the back on, to negative.

So is composed of 戶 hu a leaf of 門 mên a door, and 斤 chin (line 3). Its original meaning was the sound of chopping. It then came to mean a place, i.e. was probably adopted to express an idea the sound for which already existed. The next stage was to apply this word in the sense of a relative pronoun. It will be found under radical hu in K'ang Hsi's dictionary, under chin in the 說文 Shuo Wên dictionary of the 1st cent. A.D.

I is composed, under its old form, of 多 to many (line 302) contracted, below a roof and above a line = the ground. It originally meant in repose, sheltered, and now means to be right, fitting, proper.


23. If he does not learn while young,
Yu4 pu1 hsüeh2
Young not learn


Yu is an ideogram composed of 幺 yao small, said to be the picture of a new-born child, now the ace at dice, as radical, and 力 li strength; sc. youth.

Pu see line 5.

Hsüeh see line 11.