量词“步、石、斗、升、参”意义辨正——以出土文献为新材料

Discussion on Explanations of Classifier bu(步),dan(石),dou(斗),sheng(升),can(参) :On the Basis of Unearthed Literature

出土新材料证明,量词"步、石、斗、升、参"意义的传统训释应该补正:"步"除了作长度单位量词外,还作面积单位量词,义为"平方步",是"亩"的下一级单位,该意义从先秦一直使用至近代。表示容量单位的量词"石、斗、升"至少在汉代还有"大石"与"小石"、"大斗"与"小斗"、"大升"与"小升"之分,且同级单位的大小比率均为5∶3。"参"在秦汉时期除了作重量单位量词外,还作容量单位量词,1参为13小斗。

The Explanations of Classifier bu （ 步 ）, dan （ 石） , dou （ 斗 ）, sheng （升）, can （ 参 ） should be corrected： bu（步） can be used as a area unit, which is the subordinate units of mu（-~）. So classifier bu also contains the meaning of square, and this meaning has been used from Pre - Qin Period to recent period. As capacity unit classifier, dan can be da- dan（大石） and x/ao - dan（小石）, dou can be da -dou（大斗） and xiao - dao（小斗）, sheng can be da - sheng （大升） and xiao -sbeng（小升）, and the rate of da：xiao is 5：3 in the same uint. Can can be used as capacity unit clas- sifier in the Qin - Han Period, and one can is equal to one third of xiao - dao.