“语”受声义于“五”

The Etymology of the Character "Yu

汉字是汉民族文化的载体。原始字形所表现的,是先民对抽象概念和客观事物的认识。类似的字形,往往可引申出相近、甚至相同的意义。从构形上看,语从吾声,吾从五声,与汉字由独体字向合体字,由表意字向形声字发展的脉络,极为吻合。从字音上看,“语”、“吾”“五”三字,古音又同属疑纽鱼部。证以诂训及甲金文原始字形,可知“语”之声义乃受诸“五”,“吾”为“五”之增偏旁体。后又添一“言”旁作“语”。

The paper aims itself at the etymology of the character语.The steps of argument are as follows.1.clarify the essence of the meaning of语.2.according to the known materials,charify the original form of五.3.according to the form of 五 and the meaning of characters using 五 as radical,to argue that the meaning of 语 can be derived from the meaning implied by the form of五.