480531170

1233
斤
KIN
weight, ax
L1
4 strokes
KINRYŌold weight
KINmeold weight
FUKIN ax
OBI ; bronze ; seal . One view, based
on the bronze form, takes as the curved handle
of an ax, with the outer element (‘cliff’) as
phonetic with associated sense ‘curved like a
lizard’, giving ‘ax with curved handle’ (Katō). The
OBI form, though, is of different structure, and
Qiu convincingly analyzes this as representing
an ax or adze-like tool about to cut an object
(Qiu says a tree) in half. In ancient times this
tool was also used as a convenient measure
of weight, hence the extended sense ‘unit of
weight’; in Japan as a traditional unit of weight,
about 600 grams. KJ1970:285; QX2000:180,55;
MS1995:v1:594-5; OT1968:449.
Mnemonic: HACKSAW-LIKE AX IS QUITE A WEIGHT
1234
L1
菌
KIN
fungus, bacteria
11 strokes
SAIKINbacteria
KINRUIfungi
HOKINSHA germ carrier
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 53 ‘plant’,
with 囷 (‘round granary’) as phonetic with
associated sense taken as i] ‘shady and damp’,
1235
L1
琴
KIN, koto
koto (oriental harp)
12 strokes
teFŪKINaccordion
KINSENheartstrings
kotozume plectrum
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Seal form, which
lacks , the bottom two strokes of , shows
body (bridge) and strings of a koto (Oriental
harp) stood upright. At the clerical script stage,
1236
L1
僅
KIN, wazuka
few/little, barely
13 strokes
KINKINmerely, only
KINSHŌfew, little
KINSHŌSA slight majority
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 41
‘person’, with CO (‘burning human sacrifice’
as rain-making ritual or ‘burning of drought
god effigy’ [Mizukami]) as phonetic with as-
thus ‘blotch-like growth in damp, shady places’
(Katō), or ii] ‘crowded’, thus ‘crowded plant
growth’ (Shirakawa). In Shuowen, is defined
as ‘mushroom’; ‘fungus, bacterium’ are
extended sense. Note: CO 囷 (‘granary’) is
84 ‘enclosure’, with ‘grain’ 87. QX2000:193;
KJ1970:295; SS1984:208-9.
Mnemonic: GRAIN PLANT IN ENCLOSURE
GETS FUNGUS
the lower element changed to 138
(‘now’) as phonetic with associated sense usually
taken as ‘enclose in box shape, enclose’, thus
‘box-shape musical instrument with strings’, i.e.
koto. Ogawa, however, takes associated sense
to be ‘sound’. Mizukami and Ogawa take the
keyhole-shaped element in seal form, corresponding
to in as abbreviation of later
, as phonetic. MS1995:v2:854-5; KJ1970:243;
SS1984:210; OT1968:658. Take as ‘king’ 5.
Mnemonic: NOW TWO KINGS PLAY THE KOTO
sociated sense ‘a little, scant’, thus ‘person of
meagre talents’; later generalized to ‘meagre, a
little’. Note: OBI ancestral form of has ‘fire’ as
bottom element, though less clear in bronze,
then erroneously changed to ‘earth’ 64 in
seal. TA1965:695-8; SS1984:210; GY2008:1186;
WB1994:162; OT1968:217; MS1995:v1:270-71.
Take as ‘odd’ master 315, ‘eye’ 76, ‘grass’
53.
Mnemonic: ODD MASTER KEEPS EYE ON
PERSONS IN THE GRASS – ONLY A FEW
The Remaining 1130 Characters 367