480531170

106
L4
帰
KI, kaeru
return
10 strokes
KIKAnaturalization
KISEIhomecoming
kaerimichiway back
OBI ; seal ; traditional . Interpretations
vary. The right side element occurs in OBI
texts as a pictograph for ‘broom held in hand’,
and then also to represent the word for ‘wife’
(otherwise written unambiguously as 800).
The meaning ‘return’ seems related to the
ancient custom of a groom going to the home
of his new bride to collect her, and for them to
return to his own home. Katō and Yamada take
the top left element of as phonetic, with
associated meaning ‘follow’, while Ogawa considers
the lower left-hand element 143 ‘stop’
serves in this role, with the same meaning. For
Shirakawa, alternatively, the top left element
of the traditional form at the OBI stage shows
pieces of raw meat used as part of a ceremony
to mark the return of soldiers to camp. Present
form has a much simplified left-hand element
(similar to ‘cut/sword’ determinative 198) to
represent combined upper and lower left-hand
elements. MR2007:377,464; KJ1970:254-5;
YK1976:113; OT1968:540; SS1984:144.
Mnemonic: RETURN WITH WIFE CARRYING
BROOM AND SWORD
107
L1
弓
KYŪDŌarchery
KYŪJŌarch
yumitoriarcher
KYŪ, yumi
bow, archery, arc
3 strokes
Based on pictograph of a bow. Some OBI and
bronze forms include the bowstring , others
do not; bowstring is omitted in seal script
(Shuowen) onwards. Other meanings
such as ‘arc’ by extension. MR2007:483;
MS1995:v1:466-7.
Mnemonic: STRINGLESS BOW
108
L4
牛
GYŪ, ushi
cow, bull
4 strokes
GYŪNIKUbeef
GYŪJIru*control someone
ushigaicowherd
109
魚
GYO, uo, sakana
fish
L5
11 strokes
KINGYOgoldfish
uotsuriangling
sakanayafishmonger
Based on pictograph of the head of a cow or
bull. At the OBI stage , the horns are prominent.
Opinion is divided as to whether the cross
line indicates ears or crown of the head. Katō
favors a perspective from behind the head.
MR2007:229-30; QX2000:181; KJ1985:396.
Mnemonic: COW WITH EARS AND BROKEN
HORN
Based on the pictograph of a whole fish, e.g.
bronze form . MR2007:454; QX2000:45. As a
mnemonic we suggest taking the four strokes
of the tail as the ‘fire’ determinative 8.
Mnemonic: FISH WITH SQUARE BODY AND
FIERY TAIL
72 The 160 Second Grade Characters