<pre><code>《說文》：「此，止也。从止从匕。匕，相比次也。凡此之屬皆从此。」

甲金文從「止」從「人」，左右結構與上下結構無別。象人所止步之處，即此處之意，與「彼」相對。

陳初生以為「以腳趾與一側身人形會腳步到此停止之意。」何琳儀以為會以足蹋人之意，「跐」之初文。姑備一說。
</code></pre>
<p><a href="https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E6%AD%A4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">此</a> is a compound ideogram comprising 止 and 人 (匕 is a crouching man). One always infers the combined meaning of the two simpler, juxtaposed pictograms.</p>
<p>Multi-function Chinese Character Database adopts the explanation of the scholar Chen Chusheng: With <a href="https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E6%AD%A2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">止</a> being a pictogram for 'foot' at first and later a phonetic loan for 'to stop', the explanation for the meaning of 此 is believed to be that a man (人) arrives 'here' when he stops (phonetic loan 止) his pace (pictogram 止). 'This' and 'these' are derived meanings of 'here', which is understandably figurative.</p>
<p><em>Shuowen Jiezi</em> however argues 'to stop' comes from the character 匕. Being one of the two 'rotated' men in 比, a man stops to compare (meaning of 比) himself with another. This is in accordance to Duan Yucai's annotation 相比次而止也.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-11T02:47:46.713Z
2021-03-11T06:14:08.567Z
2021-03-11T06:14:08.567Z
L Parker
<p>What is the etymology of cǐ ? How this character means those, these?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-08T08:03:36.130Z
This seems to be two unrelated questions in one, it's usually better to post them as two different questions. It's a bit unclear what you mean by the second one, since, you ask how "c" is pronounced and then give "c" as a possible answer, which means you're talking about different alphabets/transcription systems (which one I don't know, because of "q"). "c" here is the normal Pinyin "c", which is pronounced /t͡sʰ/ (IPA). That's an aspirated affricate, i.e. a stop linked to a fricative (hissing "s" sound), with aspiration (puff of air).
Olle Linge
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-08T08:03:43.317Z
Wikipedia has a pronunciation sample: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Mandarin_Chinese_pronunciation-%E6%AD%A4.wav
Olle Linge
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-08T15:08:13.793Z
Olle linge the pronunciation part is cleared with your explanation. Thanks. I am deleting the pronunciation part from question
user27485
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-08T20:35:56.643Z
[tag:etymology] (`Questions about the origin and history of Chinese words`) is a related, but distinct concept from [tag:glyph-origin] (`Questions about the graphical origin and evolution of characters`) - please clarify which one you're asking about (or if you're asking about both).
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-08T23:23:29.320Z
dROOOze, my intention is to know how “this” and “these”were evolved for the word 此  . I think it covers both etymology and glyph origin.
user27485
<etymology><glyph-origin>
Etymology of 此 cǐ this, these?
# Etymology of 此 cǐ this, these?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-08)

What is the etymology of cǐ ? How this character means those, these?

**Tags:** etymology, glyph-origin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This seems to be two unrelated questions in one, it's usually better to post them as two different questions. It's a bit unclear what you mean by the second one, since, you ask how "c" is pronounced and then give "c" as a possible answer, which means you're talking about different alphabets/transcription systems (which one I don't know, because of "q"). "c" here is the normal Pinyin "c", which is pronounced /t͡sʰ/ (IPA). That's an aspirated affricate, i.e. a stop linked to a fricative (hissing "s" sound), with aspiration (puff of air).  
> **username_1**: Wikipedia has a pronunciation sample: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Mandarin_Chinese_pronunciation-%E6%AD%A4.wav  
> **username_0**: Olle linge the pronunciation part is cleared with your explanation. Thanks. I am deleting the pronunciation part from question  
> **username_2**: [tag:etymology] (`Questions about the origin and history of Chinese words`) is a related, but distinct concept from [tag:glyph-origin] (`Questions about the graphical origin and evolution of characters`) - please clarify which one you're asking about (or if you're asking about both).  
> **username_0**: username_2, my intention is to know how “this” and “these”were evolved for the word 此  . I think it covers both etymology and glyph origin.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-03-11. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

《說文》：「此，止也。从止从匕。匕，相比次也。凡此之屬皆从此。」

甲金文從「止」從「人」，左右結構與上下結構無別。象人所止步之處，即此處之意，與「彼」相對。

陳初生以為「以腳趾與一側身人形會腳步到此停止之意。」何琳儀以為會以足蹋人之意，「跐」之初文。姑備一說。

此 is a compound ideogram comprising 止 and 人 (匕 is a crouching man). One always infers the combined meaning of the two simpler, juxtaposed pictograms.
Multi-function Chinese Character Database adopts the explanation of the scholar Chen Chusheng: With 止 being a pictogram for 'foot' at first and later a phonetic loan for 'to stop', the explanation for the meaning of 此 is believed to be that a man (人) arrives 'here' when he stops (phonetic loan 止) his pace (pictogram 止). 'This' and 'these' are derived meanings of 'here', which is understandably figurative.
Shuowen Jiezi however argues 'to stop' comes from the character 匕. Being one of the two 'rotated' men in 比, a man stops to compare (meaning of 比) himself with another. This is in accordance to Duan Yucai's annotation 相比次而止也.


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