Page:Elementary Chinese - San Tzu Ching (1900).djvu/37

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The San Tzŭ Ching
19

developed from 亏 a picture of vapour extending. It is defined by 居 chü to be stationary, 往 wang to move towards, and 代 tai in place of. It is commonly used with such prepositional values as in, on, at, to, from, etc., all of which may be traced to one or other of the root-ideas.

Ch'in see line 31.


36. is that to which we should hold fast.
So3 tang1 chih2
What ought hold


So see line 22.

Tang is composed of 田 t'ien cultivated fields as radical, with 尙 shang (line 270) above it as phonetic. It is said to have derived its meaning of right or proper from the rectangular form in which fields are properly laid out. Read tang4, it means to stand in place of, to pawn. In the latter sense it is often seen, of gigantic dimensions, on the blank walls of houses, and corresponds to the well-known sign of three balls in this country.

Chih is composed of an ancient radical, also its phonetic, on the left, and 丸 wan balls on the right, the latter portion being a corruption of 手 shou hand and a stroke to the right. It means to arrest prisoners, to seize, and is now classed under radical 土 t'u earth (line 66).


37. Jung, at four years of age,
Jung2 ssŭ4 sui4
Jung four year


Jung is composed of 鬲 li a cauldron and 虫 ch'ung (short for 蟲) insect, reptile, as radical, and originally meant steam rising, its radical being associated in the Chinese mind with vaporous manifestations. The character now means clear, bright, intelligent, and is here the personal name of 孔融 K'ung Jung, died