“形借”说辨

Some Researches on Loaning between Characters with Similar Form

段玉裁在《说文解字注》中提出了形借理论，并列举出五组例字，这五组字或本为一个字，或本为依声托事，或一字为另一字之义项，皆非因形近而相借。

In this article,the author challenges the theory of word loaning between characters with a similar form which was first proposed by Duan Yucai in his Notes to Origin of Chinese Characters(Shuowen Jiezi)by Xu She n.Through detailed analysis of five pairs of characters,the author concludes tha t none of the five pairs are loans between characters with a similar form,but wo rds either from the same origin,or with the same sound but different meaning,or being one of the senses of another word.