<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/fMiHe.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/fMiHe.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">餘</a>1.1<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=13475&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">合集13475</a></kbd><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/oacJy.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/oacJy.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>曶鼎<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=2838&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成2838</a></kbd><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_period" rel="nofollow noreferrer">春秋</a><br>金<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ahsXy.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ahsXy.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>為甫人盨<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4406&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成4406</a></kbd><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty" rel="nofollow noreferrer">秦</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips" rel="nofollow noreferrer">簡</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ZFqj5.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ZFqj5.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>效律20<br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuihudi_Qin_bamboo_texts" rel="nofollow noreferrer">睡虎地秦簡</a></kbd><kbd><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_seal_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">篆</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/MTaVr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/MTaVr.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="https://ctext.org/library.pl?if=gb&amp;file=77389&amp;page=65" rel="nofollow noreferrer">步部</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuowen_Jiezi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">說文解字</a></kbd><kbd>今<br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">楷</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/AcyQK.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/AcyQK.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><br>　</kbd></p>

<p>「歲」 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Baxter-Sagart OC</a>:  <strong>/*s-qʷʰat-s/</strong>, <em>motion of Jupiter</em> > <em>year</em> > <em>years old</em>) was originally comprised of semantic <a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=631" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「步」</a> (<em>steps</em>, referring to <em>motion</em>) and phonetic <a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=5462" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「戉」</a> (<strong>/*[ɢ]ʷat/</strong>). <a href="https://time.com/5602213/jupiter-visible-2019-how-to-see-planet/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Jupiter appeared brightest to ancient astronomers approximately once a year in the night sky.</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>「步」 is comprised of two mirrored <em>feet</em> <a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=141" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「止」</a>, indicating the meaning <em>steps, walking</em>.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>As a component of 「歲」, 「戉」 was sometimes variously corrupted into <a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=127" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「戈」</a>, <a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=239" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「戊」</a>, or <a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=383" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「戌」</a>. The modern form is from a corruption into 「戌」.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>All four of 「戉」, 「戈」, 「戊」, and 「戌」 depict different types of bladed weapons, so they're quite easily confused with each other graphically in older writings.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-03T08:35:13.373Z
Why do you describe the reflexes of 戉 as "corruptions"?
Omar and Lorraine
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-03T08:44:18.437Z
@Wilson ["Corruption" is a standard academic term in paleography](https://www.britannica.com/science/textual-corruption) - something is "corrupted" if the original function of the graphic unit is obscured. In this case, 戉 is corrupted into 戌 in the modern glyph, so that the original rebus function (phonetic hint **/\*[ɢ]ʷat/**) is obscured: 戌 has sound **/\*s.mi[t]/** and meaning *axe-weapon*, neither of which have anything to do with 歲.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-02T10:54:51.650Z
2020-03-03T04:16:56.420Z
2020-03-03T04:16:56.420Z
dROOOze
<p>I teach a basic class in Mandarin to kids.</p>

<p>They enjoy seeing where characters came from.</p>

<p>I will be teaching them how to express their ages soon and hence the character 岁.</p>

<p>Is there an interesting etymology or story behind this character ?</p>

<p>There's obviously a mountain in the simplified character. Something about harvesting crops annually on the mountainside ???</p>

<p>I can't find anything online.</p>

<p>Another question, is there a good research somewhere for studying the origins of characters ?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-02T10:53:55.253Z
Maybe you can refer to https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B2%81/7127435
GoingMyWay
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-02T10:57:37.210Z
Simplified Chinese is hard to teach/learn. Avoid it if possible, unless your environment is overwhelmingly filled with SC resources.
dROOOze
<etymology><glyph-origin>
Glyph origins of the character 岁/歲?
# Glyph origins of the character 岁/歲?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-03-02)

I teach a basic class in Mandarin to kids.

They enjoy seeing where characters came from.

I will be teaching them how to express their ages soon and hence the character 岁.

Is there an interesting etymology or story behind this character ?

There's obviously a mountain in the simplified character. Something about harvesting crops annually on the mountainside ???

I can't find anything online.

Another question, is there a good research somewhere for studying the origins of characters ?

**Tags:** etymology, glyph-origin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Maybe you can refer to https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B2%81/7127435  
> **username_2**: Simplified Chinese is hard to teach/learn. Avoid it if possible, unless your environment is overwhelmingly filled with SC resources.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-03-02. Score: 4

`商  
甲  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/fMiHe.png)  
餘1.1  
合集13475``西周  
金  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/oacJy.png)  
曶鼎  
集成2838``春秋  
金  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ahsXy.png)  
為甫人盨  
集成4406``秦  
簡  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ZFqj5.png)  
效律20  
睡虎地秦簡` `篆  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/MTaVr.png)  
步部  
說文解字``今  
楷  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/AcyQK.png)`

「歲」 ([Baxter-Sagart OC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)): **/\*s-qʷʰat-s/**, *motion of Jupiter* > *year* > *years old*) was originally comprised of semantic [「步」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=631) (*steps*, referring to *motion*) and phonetic [「戉」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=5462) (**/\*[ɢ]ʷat/**). [Jupiter appeared brightest to ancient astronomers approximately once a year in the night sky.](https://time.com/5602213/jupiter-visible-2019-how-to-see-planet/)

> 「步」 is comprised of two mirrored *feet* [「止」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=141), indicating the meaning *steps, walking*.

As a component of 「歲」, 「戉」 was sometimes variously corrupted into [「戈」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=127), [「戊」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=239), or [「戌」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=383). The modern form is from a corruption into 「戌」.

> All four of 「戉」, 「戈」, 「戊」, and 「戌」 depict different types of bladed weapons, so they're quite easily confused with each other graphically in older writings.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Why do you describe the reflexes of 戉 as "corruptions"?  
> **username_2**: @Wilson ["Corruption" is a standard academic term in paleography](https://www.britannica.com/science/textual-corruption) - something is "corrupted" if the original function of the graphic unit is obscured. In this case, 戉 is corrupted into 戌 in the modern glyph, so that the original rebus function (phonetic hint **/\*[ɢ]ʷat/**) is obscured: 戌 has sound **/\*s.mi[t]/** and meaning *axe-weapon*, neither of which have anything to do with 歲.  

---

