Definitions

common millet

Etymology phono-semantic

millet

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is a phono-semantic compound: the grain radical below and the phonetic above, indicating the pronunciation "zi". It originally denoted common millet, often used as an offering in sacrificial rituals. In classical texts, the term expanded to refer broadly to cereals or sacrificial grains.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern