<p>first of all, read from right to left.</p>
<p>the right character, the left component is (阜, ⻖) is easy to recognise. the right component is a 口 (mouth) with surrounding stroke, so, it’s also easy to guess that it’s 阿 (u+963f)</p>
<p>then, confirm the guess with <a href="http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">漢語多功能字庫</a></p>
<p><a href="http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E9%98%BF" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=阿</a></p>
<p>the left character, well, it’s also “easy” to find that it’s 難 (u+96e3)</p>
<p><a href="http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E9%9B%A3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=難</a></p>
<p>put them together, the word is “阿難” ananda, one of the ten principle disciple of buddha.</p>
<p>further, judging from the photo provided, i think the characters are inscribed on a stone plinth, of a statue; that’s why i ask in the comment.</p>
<p>have fun :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T14:43:36.183Z
2020-09-02T14:43:36.183Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>A friend of mine bought that stone a while ago</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/i0sXO.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/i0sXO.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>With the help of a friend, we were about to determine that the words in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_seal_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">small seal script</a> means (from left to right) <a href="https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=en&amp;char=%E9%9B%A3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">難</a> (difficult) and <a href="https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=en&amp;char=%E9%98%9C" rel="nofollow noreferrer">阜</a> (plentiful).</p>
<p>Combine together, it seems to go with Nanfu.</p>
<p>What does it mean at the time and is there still a meaning today?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T13:28:19.663Z
阿難,  ananda? is it on the base of an statue?
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T14:15:28.333Z
Hi @水巷孑蠻, yes it is.
Andy K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T14:17:30.297Z
should be him as @水巷孑蠻 mentioned: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80nanda
Archeosudoerus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T14:24:45.283Z
Dear @水巷孑蠻, can please write an answer? I'll accept it.
Andy K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T14:44:30.760Z
@andy k ,done, do you have photos of the whole statue?
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T14:53:21.193Z
@水巷孑蠻 my friend should send the whole pic soon, if she does not forget... (but that's another story)
Andy K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T14:55:25.013Z
@水巷孑蠻 one additional question: Is reading from right to left, the old form of writing, please? The current form seems to me, to be from left to right.
Andy K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T14:58:21.313Z
yes, everything before fourth may movement (1919) should be read from right to left, top to bottom.
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T14:59:07.083Z
Thank you @水巷孑蠻
Andy K
<characters><classical-chinese>
What means Nanfu? (Characters identified: 阿難)
# What means Nanfu? (Characters identified: 阿難)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-09-02)

A friend of mine bought that stone a while ago

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/i0sXO.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/i0sXO.jpg)

With the help of a friend, we were about to determine that the words in [small seal script](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_seal_script) means (from left to right) [難](https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=en&char=%E9%9B%A3) (difficult) and [阜](https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=en&char=%E9%98%9C) (plentiful).

Combine together, it seems to go with Nanfu.

What does it mean at the time and is there still a meaning today?

**Tags:** characters, classical-chinese

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 阿難,  ananda? is it on the base of an statue?  
> **username_0**: Hi @username_1, yes it is.  
> **username_2**: should be him as @username_1 mentioned: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80nanda  
> **username_0**: Dear @username_1, can please write an answer? I'll accept it.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 ,done, do you have photos of the whole statue?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 my friend should send the whole pic soon, if she does not forget... (but that's another story)  
> **username_0**: @username_1 one additional question: Is reading from right to left, the old form of writing, please? The current form seems to me, to be from left to right.  
> **username_1**: yes, everything before fourth may movement (1919) should be read from right to left, top to bottom.  
> **username_0**: Thank you @username_1  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-09-02. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

first of all, read from right to left.

the right character, the left component is (阜, ⻖) is easy to recognise. the right component is a 口 (mouth) with surrounding stroke, so, it’s also easy to guess that it’s 阿 (u+963f)

then, confirm the guess with [漢語多功能字庫](http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/)

[http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=阿](http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E9%98%BF)

the left character, well, it’s also “easy” to find that it’s 難 (u+96e3)

[http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=難](http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E9%9B%A3)

put them together, the word is “阿難” ananda, one of the ten principle disciple of buddha.

further, judging from the photo provided, i think the characters are inscribed on a stone plinth, of a statue; that’s why i ask in the comment.

have fun :)


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