Definitions
(noun)
rock; stone
Etymology
Pictograph of a musical stone chime. The 口 component was added later as a meaningless decorative mark.
About
The character "石", representing the concept of "stone", is one of Chinese writing's more stable and pictographically enduring forms. Its etymology is graphically straightforward, composed of the component "厂", which depicts a cliff or overhanging rock, situated above "口", which in this context does not represent a mouth but rather a schematic symbol for a solid rock or boulder lodged beneath it, thus creating a complete image of a stone in its natural setting. This core meaning of a hard, mineral substance has remained constant for millennia, serving as the semantic foundation for a vast array of derived terms. From this concrete origin, its conceptual application broadened to abstractly signify qualities of hardness, durability, and permanence, as seen in words for steadfastness or lithography. Furthermore, it was adopted as a unit of dry measurement and capacity in ancient times, a usage now obsolete but historically significant, demonstrating how a character rooted in physical reality could be extended into administrative and commercial domains.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
地上有一块石头。
这块石头很光滑。
石油是现代工业的血液。
钻石是世界上最硬的物质之一。
岩石的种类有很多。
石碑上记载着历史事件。
石榴是一种美味的水果。
地质学家通过岩石分析地球历史。