友

 We have learnt 朋 in our last post. Today we move on to the character which is always used together with 朋 as 朋友, which means friend.

what does 友 mean here?  Recall what we have learnt when we studied 有 (https://xiongzou.blogspot.com/2015/12/learn-one-chinese-character-day_29.html) and 又 (https://xiongzou.blogspot.com/2015/12/learn-one-chinese-character-day_27.html), we can tell that 友 is composed of two hands. And we would not be surprised that 友 sounds much like 又 as well as 有.

However till now, we cannot give any reasonable guess for what 友 represents. As usual, its ancient scripts should help us to have a better understanding of 友, as shown below:

evolution history of 友

From its Oracle script, it is quite clear that  is drawing of two hands (both right hands) (to work / point to same direction). It is more likely the same idea of picture below:

One of its Bronze script variant , with an extra 口 underneath two hands. We believe it means to SAY: "let us work together".

Thus 友 originally means "two person who works together for the same goal or purpose". That is why it is explained by 《文解字》 as "同志为友", which is translated to English as: people who share the same 志 are 友. What does 志 mean? 志 means where your heart is. Details can be reviewed at https://xiongzou.blogspot.com/2016/08/learn-one-chinese-character-day_9.html .

Please note the subtle differences in the meaning of 友, comparing to 朋 in its original meaning.  But now 友 is always used as friend. For example 好友.

If 友 is used as verb, it means to make friends with. 友爱.

That is all for 友, time to enjoy Chinese calligraphy with 友 inside:

独山莫友芝书

自

Our new Chinese character today is 自. Looking at this modern form, it is not possible to guess the meaning of 自. Let us go through its ancient scripts and probably we will get hints there:

evolution history of 自

Oracle script might still be too simple to guess. but its Bronze script shows very clearly what 自 represents:

 

自

Now if we look back at its Oracle script , it is clear that also vividly represents the drawing of nose, but without mustache, as well. 

If you know the Chinese character which means nose - 鼻, now you can immediately tell that 鼻 is composed of 自 and 畀. From the regular pattern of how Chinese characters were created, 自 should be related to nose.

From the evolution history of 自, laziness of human nature demonstrates its power again, 自 is simplified from complex to , and further simplified during Seal script era:  . is every close to what we are writing today: 自.

Yes, 自 originally means nose, which is eventually replaced by the new character 鼻, for 自 was eventually borrowed to represent different meanings.

During our daily conversation, we usually point to our noses to mean me or myself. And sometimes even point to other-body's nose to mean him. Chinese ancestors took this scenario to use 自, which is nose, to mean me or self. for example 自己.

自己

 

The same hidden meaning of nose should be presented in western culture as well. In the fable story of Pinocchio, whenever he lied, his nose would grow longer, which probably represents the result of growing ego of a person.

And nose is the vital organ for breathe and airflow starts from it. 自 thus also contains the meaning of from, start and since. for example 自从.

That is all for 自, time to enjoy a Chinese calligraphy with 自 inside:

和气人长寿；心宽福自来。