<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**: username_1 username_1 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](https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E6%AD%A4) 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](https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E6%AD%A2) 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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