甲骨文“即”、“既”补释

More Interpretation of ‘即’ and ‘既’ in Oracle Bone Inscriptions

"即"、"既"是殷墟甲骨文中一对常见的字。一般情况下,"即"从"皀"从"卩",像跽坐之人就食之状。"既"从"皀"从"旡",像人食毕口转向身后之形,二者区别明显,很早就被考释出来。但甲骨文又有其复杂性的一面,同一个字有多种异构存在。过去或因对文字构形认识不准确,或甲骨图版模糊不清等原因,常有把"即"误释作"既",也有把"既"误释作"即"的情况。本文从"即"、"既"最常见的形体出发,结合相关甲骨卜辞辞例,对"即"、"既"二字的构形加以辨析,并对与"即"、"既"相关的文字做出新的考释。

Both ‘ 即 ’ and ‘ 既 ’ are frequently read in the inscribed oracle bones unearthed in the Yin Ruins. It has been generally considered that the character ‘ 即 ’ follows ‘ 皀 ’ and ‘ 卩 ’ to form a shape of a man who is seated in a kneeling posture dining, whereas ‘ 既 ’ takes after ‘ 皀 ’ and ‘ 旡 ’ to form the figure turning the mouth backward after dinner. They mean differently. However, the fact that oracle bone inscription is complicated and occasionally to the point of obscurity usually leads to several forms of one character, followed by confusing interpretation between ‘ 即 ’ and ‘ 既 ’. This essay makes a further analysis of the structure and form of ‘ 即 ’ and ‘ 既 ’ and other similar characters based on the oracle bone inscriptions and divinations to come up with different interpretation of the two characters.