甲骨文“干”字说——关于商代低级武士的一个考察

A Discussion of the Character “干” among Bone Inscriptions:a Study about a Subordinate Warrior in the Shang Dynasty

甲骨文“■”原先多以为是“伐”字省体,细绎相关卜辞,可以看出它和伐存在着较大区别。甲骨文“■”应当是“干”字初文,本指人体之躯干。在卜辞里,“干”多指属于某一氏族的下级武士。周代彝铭则多借倒“干”形的“屰”为干,因其有迎击之义,故而“毌”、“盾”,亦被释为“干”,但并非“干”字。甲骨文“岸”是“干”的滋乳字。“岸”字之释可以妥贴地释读相关卜辞材料。

The character ＂干＂ carved on tortoise bones was thought to be the simplified version of ＂伐＂, but it has considerable difference from the word ＂伐＂ with detailed examination. ＂干＂is originated from ＂of＂, meaning human body. In oracle bone inscriptions, ＂干＂ is often related to the subordinate warrior in a certain clan. In bronze inscriptions of the Zhou Dynasty, the character＂ 屰＂ looks like＂干＂ in an upside-down form, and was used the same way with＂干＂. Because of the implied meaning of attacking and defending, characters ＂毋＂ ,＂盾＂were interpreted as＂ 干＂. The character＂ 岸＂ is derived from the character＂ 干＂. The meaning of＂岸＂ could be exactly recgnized in oracle bones.