This is a short post in finishing up with kanji that originated from two weapons– 盾循 and 干刊汗.
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The kanji 盾 “shield”
In oracle bone style, in brown, and bronze ware style, in green, it was an image of a shield. The seal-style writing, in red, had a canopy-like shape and an eye with a cross shape. Following Setsumon’s explanation, which is based on the seal style, many scholars view this as a shield that protected the eyes of a soldier and his body. The kanji 盾 meant “shield.”
The kun-yomi 盾 /tate’/ meant “shield,” and /-date/ is in 後ろ盾 (“support; backing” /ushirodate/). The on-yomi /jun/ is in 矛盾 (“contradiction; inconsistency” /mujun/) that comprises 矛 “halberd” for attacking an enemy and 盾 “shield” for defending oneself.
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The kanji 循 “to follow”
The left side of the seal style writing was a crossroad, signifying “going” and the right side 盾 “shield” was also used phonetically for /jun/ to mean “to follow; go along.” The kanji 循 meant “to follow.”
There is no kun-yomi. The on-yomi /jun/ is in 循環 (“cycle; circulation; rotation” /junkan/).
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The kanji 干 “dry; attack”
In oracle bone, bronze ware, and ten styles, it was a forked weapon. The kanji 干 meant “to violate; attack.” However, this kanji is rarely used to mean aggression, except in the word 干渉 “interference; meddling.” It was borrowed to mean “dry; dry up.”
The kun-yomi /hi/ is in 干からびる (“to shrivel up; shrink” /hikarabi’ru/), 干物 (“dried fish” /himono/). Another kun-yomi /ho’su/ means “to air under the sun,” as used in 布団を干す /huton o hosu/ “to air futon under the sun.” The on-yomi /kan/ is in 干渉する (“to interfere; meddle” /kanshoo-suru/), 干拓 (“reclamation by drainage” /kantaku/) and 干害 (“drought damage” /kangai/).
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The kanji 刊 “to publish”
For the kanji 刊, the left side (干) of the seal style writing was used phonetically for /kan/ to mean “to shave a piece of wood.” On the right side was a knife. By using a knife, printing blocks were shaved to make a book. In kanji the knife became刂, a bushu rittoo “knife.” The kanji 刊 meant “to publish.”
There is no fun-yomi. The on-yomi /kan/ is in 月刊誌 (“monthly magazine” /gekka’nshi/), 朝刊 (“morning paper” /chookan/), 刊行 (“publication” /kankoo/), and 新刊本 (“new publication; new title” /shinkanbon/).
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The kanji 汗 “perspiration; sweat”
For the kanji 汗, the left side of the seal style was “water,” which became a bushu sanzui in kanji (氵). The right side was used phonetically for /kan/. The kanji 汗 meant “perspiration; sweat.”
The kun-yomi /a’se/ means “perspiration; sweat” and is in 汗をかく(“to sweat; perspire” /a’se-o kaku/) and 冷や汗 (“cold sweat” /hiyaa’se/). The on-yomi /kan/ is in 発汗 (“sweating” /hakkan/).
It is time for us to move on to another subject. I have not decided which groups of “things and objects” we may start with next time yet. Thank you very much for your reading. – Noriko [March 5, 2017]
KANJI PORTRAITS 