许慎《说文解字》“亼部”及所从字考辨

Textual Research on Ji Radical and its Words from Shuowen Jiezi by Xu Shen

许慎《说文》对"亼"的解说,历来受到学者的质疑。但由于缺乏文献用例,无从印证其音义。考之于甲文、金文字形以及"亼"所从之字,确证"亼"实为"口"之变形",口"既可是人之口,又可为动物之口,还可作器皿之口。由于契刻的缘故,曲笔常呈直笔,故"口"一变为△,再变为"厶",终变为"亼"和"亽"。许慎未能准确释读此字,导致对从"亼"之字的解说,大多出现偏差。

The explanation of Ji Radical from Shuowen Jiezi by Xu Shen has always been questioned by the scholars. But due to lack of document cases, they are unable to confirm its pronunciation and meaning. Ji Radical is confirmed to the deformation of ＂kou＂（mouth） by checking it in JiakuWen, Jin Wen font and some characters included in the Ji Radical. It can not only refer to the ＂mouth＂ of human beings and animals but also to that of vessels. Curved strokes often present straight strokes because of engraving on metal or wood, so the form of ＂kou＂ has first turned into ＂A＂, then ＂A＂, and finally ＂~___＂ and ＂＇~＂. Xu Shen failed to accurately explain this word, leading to the interpretation of some words which belong to the Ji Radical mostly appeared deviation.