Term
|
Definition
day; sun
Symbolizes the round sun, also signifying day – a cycle of the sun. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
dawn; daybreak
Dawn arrives as the sun (日) rises just above the horizon (一). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
only; but; still
但愿 if only; 不但...而且... not only... but also...
a person (亻), at dawn (旦), sees only part of the day—the rest is uncertain, but... |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
prosperous, flourishing
昌盛 prosperous, thriving; 昌明 enlighhted and advanced (society)
sun (日) above the horizon and its reflection in water. The sun (日) will get stronger and brighter as it rises, giving the meaning of prosperous. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
to sing, to chant
演唱 to perform vocally; 领唱 lead singer, solo singing; 合唱 chorus
唱票 to call out votes
A mouth (口) producing bright, resonant sound (昌) = singing! |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
morning, early, soon
早起 to wake up early; 早睡 early to bed; 早上 morning; 早餐 breakfast
Sun (日) rises further up (十) from the dawn “旦[dàn],” to start morning. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
boat, ship, vessel
a small whole in a piece of wood
Imagine 舟 as a simplified side-view of a canoe:
the outer lines are the hull (trup broda), the central space is where passengers sit |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
facing, toward
dynasty
朝代 dynastic period; 朝北 facing north; 朝前走 walk forward
a 10 feet tall Maximilian sunflower worships also the moon (月) during the morning (早) when it faces towards the symbol of a Tan Dynasty (朝) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
old, former; past
旧朋友 old friend; 怀旧 nostalgia (literally: cherish the old)
旧书 secondhand book / old book; 旧习惯 old habit
旧政府 former government
one (丨) day (日) in the past |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
bright; clear; next
明亮 bright, well-lit; 光明 brightness, radiance; 明显 obvious, evident
one can see sun (日) and moon (月) next to each other bright |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
be born; give birth
to grow; raw
a fruit from a sprout grown from the soil is eaten raw |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
star
星座 constellation; 星球 Celestial body (e.g., planets)
明星 "Bright star" → celebrity
a sun (日) that is just born (生) is a new star |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
5th; time, day,
7-9 am
生辰 birth time/date; 辰光 time/moment
Originally depicted a stone farming tool (possibly a spade or plow blade),
digging into the earth at dawn (7–9 AM), marking the start of a day's labor — that connection to time, routine, and cycles is at the heart of 辰.
used to mark planting seasons |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
(early) morning, dawn, daybreak
早晨 early morning; 晨练 morning exercise
the sun (日) just beginning (7-9 am) to shine over the earth as a plow (辰) breaks the soil — that's 晨, the early morning |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
hill, mound
the slope of a hill
When used on the left of a character it means ‘hill,’ but when used on the right it means “town 邑 [yì].” |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
sun, sunlight;
positive, male
阴阳 (yīnyáng) – yin and yang (the dual forces in Chinese philosophy)
This describes the sun (日) rising above a hill (阝). This character, in particular, depicts the sun to symbolize “Yang,” an opposing force of “Yin,” but also the man genitals |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
inch, unit of length
joint
hand |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
time; season
sun (ri) + hand/joint (cun)
the length of the shadow on a sun dial/hand was measured by a finger joint to tell the time |
|
|
