计 | 計

We have studied enough characters related to 牛 / 羊.  With Chinese Radicals learnt during our learning journey, we now have many low-hanging fruits to pick up, like the Chinese Character today - 计 | 計.

It is easy to tell that 计 is composed of 讠and 十 ( or 言 and 十 with Traditional version 計).
As we know 讠 or 言 means say or speak (to refresh your memory, you can check the post: https://xiongzou.blogspot.com/2015/11/learn-one-chinese-character-day_17.html). and 十 means number ten (Details please check https://xiongzou.blogspot.com/2015/11/learn-one-chinese-character-day_10.html).

What does the combination mean here? Possible candidates as:

1. Speak out number ten;

2. Count to number ten;

Both options are actually representing pretty much the same scenario: counting numbers.

With all fingers of our two hands, we can count up to 10 easily, so 计 | 計 is kinds of showing the concept of counting (fingers) to ten.

So 计 | 計 means counting. For example: 计数

As number counting related to calculations, 计 | 計 has the original meaning of calculate and all of its extended meanings. For example: 计划

For 计 | 計 is counting numbers, when it is used as noun, it refers to any metering device with scale: like 温度计

Before ending our study today, let us check its ancient scripts, as shown below (image taken from http://vividict.com/)

Evolution history of 计 | 計

It is obvious that the components of 计 | 計 has not been changed from era of Oracle Script.

That is all for 计 | 計. Let us enjoy a Chinese calligraphy with 计 inside as usual to end our study today:

一年之计在于春