釋“藻”及相關諸字

Interpretation of"Zao"(藻)and Relevant Characters

甲骨文中的■,學者們釋法不一。于省吾釋爲“條”字初文,陳劍釋爲“草”字初文,但均無法在現實中找到相應印證。本文在陳劍釋爲“造”字聲符的基礎上,指出此字應爲“藻”字初文,象水草的長枝條在水中隨水彎曲而下有根之形。參考殷墟甲骨文所見相關字形的形、音、義,及其在古文字材料和傳世文獻的使用情况,釋爲“藻”當可成立。

Scholars differ on the interpretations of the character in oracle bone inscriptions.Yu Xingwu interpretated it as the protoform of tiao(條)and Chen Jian interpretated it as the protoform of cao(草),but we cannot find the corresponding corroboration for them in the reality.On the basis that Chen Jian interpreted it as the phonetic component of zao(造),this article points out that this character should be the protoform of zao(藻),which looks like a long branch of waterweed winding in the water and with a root below.With reference to the forms,pronunciations and meanings of the relevant characters seen in the oracle bones inscriptions of Yinxu,and its use in the palaeographic materials and the handed down documents,the interpretation of zao(藻)should be established.