<p><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty" rel="nofollow noreferrer">商</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">甲</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/HSAk8.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/HSAk8.png" alt="⿱隹止" /></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">京津</a>4001<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=32535&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">合集32535</a></kbd><kbd><br><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E9%9A%B6%E5%AE%9A" rel="nofollow noreferrer">隸定</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/1Zw1H.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/1Zw1H.png" alt="⿱隹止" /></a><br><br>　</kbd></p>
<p>「進」 was originally constructed from semantic <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=1101" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「隹」 (<em>picture</em></a> <em>of a bird</em>) and semantic <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=141" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「止」 (<em>picture</em></a> <em>of a foot</em> &gt; <em>motion</em>), indicating the <em>flying motion of a bird</em>, which infers the meaning <em>forward, advance</em> (<strong>birds cannot fly backwards</strong>). Later on, 「彳」 (left half of <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=447" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「行」, <em>picture</em></a> <em>of a road intersection</em> &gt; <em>roads, movement, path</em>) was added to form the equivalent semantic component 「辵・⻍」 (<em>walking, motion</em>).</p>
<p><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou" rel="nofollow noreferrer">西周</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions" rel="nofollow noreferrer">金</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/7vJGZ.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/7vJGZ.png" alt="進" /></a><br>圜器<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=10360&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成10360</a></kbd><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period" rel="nofollow noreferrer">戰國</a>・<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu_(state)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">楚</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips" rel="nofollow noreferrer">簡</a>・<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu_Silk_Manuscript" rel="nofollow noreferrer">帛</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/HvtYc.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/HvtYc.png" alt="進" /></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/ChuwenziReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">帛乙</a>8.5<br>長沙子彈庫</kbd><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_han" rel="nofollow noreferrer">東漢</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">隸</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/dmb7t.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dmb7t.png" alt="進" /></a><br>白石神君碑<br>　</kbd><kbd><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">楷</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/MDanO.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/MDanO.png" alt="進" /></a><br><br>　</kbd></p>
<hr />
<p>Note, 「辵」 is the full form of 「⻍」. As stated earlier, 「辵」 is made up from a merger between 「彳」 and 「止」, shown again via 「過」 below.</p>
<p><kbd>西周<br>金<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/bd4uf.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/bd4uf.png" alt="過" /></a><br>過伯簋<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=3907&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成3907</a></kbd><kbd>戰國・楚<br>簡・帛<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/erLq2.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/erLq2.png" alt="過" /></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/ChuwenziReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">語叢3</a><br> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guodian_Chu_Slips" rel="nofollow noreferrer">郭店楚簡</a></kbd><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty" rel="nofollow noreferrer">秦</a><br>簡<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8SWAr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8SWAr.png" alt="過" /></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/QinwenziReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">效律</a>9<br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuihudi_Qin_bamboo_texts" rel="nofollow noreferrer">睡虎地秦簡</a></kbd><kbd>東漢<br>隸<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/QhbPz.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/QhbPz.png" alt="過" /></a><br>華山廟碑<br>　</kbd><kbd><br>楷<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/F0L6f.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/F0L6f.png" alt="過" /></a><br><br>　</kbd></p>
<hr />
<p><strong>References:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>何琳儀《戰國古文字典：戰國文字聲系》</li>
<li><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">小學堂</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">國學大師</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">郭沫若《甲骨文合集》</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">中國社會科學院考古研究所《殷周金文集成》</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-20T11:12:04.840Z
Non-linguistic nitpick: The birds _found in China_ cannot fly backwards; [hummingbirds on the other hand](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/28/watch-this-hummingbirds-fly-forwards-and-backwards-with-equal-ease/)...
Michaelyus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-20T11:13:02.290Z
@Michaelyus yes, but that is a side-effect of them being able to *hover* rather than fly in general :) Hummingbirds are unique in that respect.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-20T06:30:54.510Z
2020-10-07T06:57:29.367Z
2020-10-07T06:57:29.367Z
dROOOze
<h1>Motivation</h1>

<p>While writing <a href="https://chinese.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1584/21386">my recent meta question</a>, I've cited <a href="http://linuxyeo.pixnet.net/blog/post/288479369-%E7%B0%A1%E9%AB%94%E5%AD%97%E8%88%87%E5%8E%BB%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E5%8C%96---%E8%B6%99%E5%96%84%E8%BB%92%3B-%E6%97%A5%E8%AA%9E%E4%B8%AD%E8%88%87%E6%BC%A2%E8%AA%9E%E7%94%A8" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dr. Gavin Chiu (趙善軒)'s article</a> to explain the character '進' and its simplified character '井'.  However, a user points out that the linked article is not real academic material, and that such explanation is invalid.</p>

<h1>Question</h1>

<p>How do the glyphs '⻌' and '隹' come up together to bring the meaning of '進'?</p>

<h1>My attempt</h1>

<p>The bone script (甲骨文) for '進' reads <a href="http://ccamc.co/cjkv.php?cjkv=%E9%80%B2" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/v3Xfc.gif" alt="進甲骨文"></a>.</p>

<p>In <a href="http://ccamc.co/cjkv.php?cjkv=%E9%80%B2" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Shuowen Jiezi</em> (說文解字)</a>, there's simply a one-line explanation.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>登也。从辵。閵省聲。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It's not hard to identify the left glyph in the ancient writing <a href="http://ccamc.co/cjkv.php?cjkv=%E9%80%B2" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/NH2mf.gif" alt="說文解字"></a> in 說文解字 as '辵', but I can't understand the role of '登' in 說文解字's explanation for '進'.  The right glyph '隹' clearly represents a bird <a href="http://ccamc.co/cjkv.php?cjkv=%E9%80%B2" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/BeAgl.gif" alt="enter image description here"></a>.</p>

<p>Source of images for ancient scripts: <a href="http://ccamc.co/index.php" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>The Complete Collection of Ancient and Modern Characters</em> (古今文字集成)</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-17T13:24:19.170Z
登 means to _ascend/mount_ in Chinese. Its connection to _bird_ and _motion_ stands to reason.
Michaelyus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-17T22:03:27.517Z
The 登 there is just to say that it has (had) the same meaning of 進 back then. Not all characters are meaning-based, many of them are sound-based, and that's what the Shuowen is trying to tell you: from an abbreviation of 閵 (lin), that is, take the 門 off, you get 隹 as a sound component. But either way, Shuowen is not made under scientific criteria at all, and you should not trust it. And I don't have time right now to look any further, and probably droooze will come soon and give you the right explanation. ;)
Enrico Brasil
<characters><etymology><glyph-origin>
Glyph origins of '進'
# Glyph origins of '進'

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-06-16)

# Motivation

While writing [my recent meta question](https://chinese.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1584/21386), I've cited [Dr. Gavin Chiu (趙善軒)'s article](http://linuxyeo.pixnet.net/blog/post/288479369-%E7%B0%A1%E9%AB%94%E5%AD%97%E8%88%87%E5%8E%BB%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E5%8C%96---%E8%B6%99%E5%96%84%E8%BB%92%3B-%E6%97%A5%E8%AA%9E%E4%B8%AD%E8%88%87%E6%BC%A2%E8%AA%9E%E7%94%A8) to explain the character '進' and its simplified character '井'. However, a user points out that the linked article is not real academic material, and that such explanation is invalid.

# Question

How do the glyphs '⻌' and '隹' come up together to bring the meaning of '進'?

# My attempt

The bone script (甲骨文) for '進' reads [![進甲骨文](https://i.sstatic.net/v3Xfc.gif)](http://ccamc.co/cjkv.php?cjkv=%E9%80%B2).

In [*Shuowen Jiezi* (說文解字)](http://ccamc.co/cjkv.php?cjkv=%E9%80%B2), there's simply a one-line explanation.

> 登也。从辵。閵省聲。

It's not hard to identify the left glyph in the ancient writing [![說文解字](https://i.sstatic.net/NH2mf.gif)](http://ccamc.co/cjkv.php?cjkv=%E9%80%B2) in 說文解字 as '辵', but I can't understand the role of '登' in 說文解字's explanation for '進'. The right glyph '隹' clearly represents a bird [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/BeAgl.gif)](http://ccamc.co/cjkv.php?cjkv=%E9%80%B2).

Source of images for ancient scripts: [*The Complete Collection of Ancient and Modern Characters* (古今文字集成)](http://ccamc.co/index.php)

**Tags:** characters, etymology, glyph-origin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 登 means to _ascend/mount_ in Chinese. Its connection to _bird_ and _motion_ stands to reason.  
> **username_2**: The 登 there is just to say that it has (had) the same meaning of 進 back then. Not all characters are meaning-based, many of them are sound-based, and that's what the Shuowen is trying to tell you: from an abbreviation of 閵 (lin), that is, take the 門 off, you get 隹 as a sound component. But either way, Shuowen is not made under scientific criteria at all, and you should not trust it. And I don't have time right now to look any further, and probably droooze will come soon and give you the right explanation. ;)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-06-20. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

`商  
甲  
![⿱隹止](https://i.sstatic.net/HSAk8.png)  
京津4001  
合集32535` `隸定  
![⿱隹止](https://i.sstatic.net/1Zw1H.png)`

「進」 was originally constructed from semantic [「隹」 (*picture*](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=1101) *of a bird*) and semantic [「止」 (*picture*](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=141) *of a foot* > *motion*), indicating the *flying motion of a bird*, which infers the meaning *forward, advance* (**birds cannot fly backwards**). Later on, 「彳」 (left half of [「行」, *picture*](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=447) *of a road intersection* > *roads, movement, path*) was added to form the equivalent semantic component 「辵・⻍」 (*walking, motion*).

`西周  
金  
![進](https://i.sstatic.net/7vJGZ.png)  
圜器  
集成10360``戰國・楚  
簡・帛  
![進](https://i.sstatic.net/HvtYc.png)  
帛乙8.5  
長沙子彈庫``東漢  
隸  
![進](https://i.sstatic.net/dmb7t.png)  
白石神君碑` `楷  
![進](https://i.sstatic.net/MDanO.png)`

---

Note, 「辵」 is the full form of 「⻍」. As stated earlier, 「辵」 is made up from a merger between 「彳」 and 「止」, shown again via 「過」 below.

`西周  
金  
![過](https://i.sstatic.net/bd4uf.png)  
過伯簋  
集成3907``戰國・楚  
簡・帛  
![過](https://i.sstatic.net/erLq2.png)  
語叢3  
 郭店楚簡``秦  
簡  
![過](https://i.sstatic.net/8SWAr.png)  
效律9  
睡虎地秦簡``東漢  
隸  
![過](https://i.sstatic.net/QhbPz.png)  
華山廟碑` `楷  
![過](https://i.sstatic.net/F0L6f.png)`

---

**References:**

* 何琳儀《戰國古文字典：戰國文字聲系》
* [小學堂](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/)
* [國學大師](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/)
  + [郭沫若《甲骨文合集》](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/)
  + [中國社會科學院考古研究所《殷周金文集成》](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/)

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Non-linguistic nitpick: The birds _found in China_ cannot fly backwards; [hummingbirds on the other hand](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/28/watch-this-hummingbirds-fly-forwards-and-backwards-with-equal-ease/)...  
> **username_3**: @username_1 yes, but that is a side-effect of them being able to *hover* rather than fly in general :) Hummingbirds are unique in that respect.  

---

