<ol>
<li>In contrast to genuinely related character pairs, e.g. <code>木</code> and <code>本</code>, where the horizontal stroke in <code>本</code> indicates the root of a tree (<code>木</code>), <code>西</code> and <code>酉</code> are different. <strong>They only share graphical similarity in modern script and look (and indeed are) rather distinct in older scripts. That is to say, they are etymologically unrelated.</strong></li>
</ol>
<div class="s-table-container">
<table class="s-table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th style="text-align: center;">Character</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">Oracle bone script</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">Bronze script</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">Seal script</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">西</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/rHtjP.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/rHtjP.png" alt="xi_o" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Xd5x6.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Xd5x6.png" alt="xi_b" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/BeAoc.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/BeAoc.png" alt="xi_s" /></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">酉</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/r13yI.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/r13yI.png" alt="you_o" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Z62q2.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Z62q2.png" alt="you_b" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/KiFYE.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/KiFYE.png" alt="you_s" /></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<ol start="2">
<li><p><strong>Both <code>西</code> and <code>酉</code> are found in oracle bone texts. Both of them also have derived ('younger') meanings, which makes differentiating their time of invention (of the character itself, and of meaning) rather hard.</strong> To illustrate: <code>西</code> originally means 'bird nest', but was hypothesised to be a phonetic loan word (an otherwise unrelated, pre-existing character that was borrowed to express a character-less meaning based on phonological similarity) for the cardinal point 'west'. On the other hand, <em>Shuowen</em> outright equated <code>酉</code> with maturation or completion (<code>就</code> in classical Chinese), as harvest makes wine for rituals (<code>就也。八月黍成，可爲酎酒。</code>). The connotation of time was further strengthened when <code>酉</code> became one of the terrestrial branches.</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>This phenomenon is not unique.</strong> Other character pairs that are graphically similar in modern script but have different origins include: <code>口</code> and <code>囗</code> (an enclosure; mostly used as a radical), <code>王</code> ('king'; an axe with its edge facing downwards, symbolising authority and rulership) and <code>玉</code> ('jade'; jade pieces stringed together), <code>月</code> and <code>⺼</code> (<code>肉</code> as a left-radical, e.g. in <code>臘</code>, <code>肌</code>) etc.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="s-table-container">
<table class="s-table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th style="text-align: center;">Character</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">Oracle bone script</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">Bronze script</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">Seal script</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">口</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/4qbvJ.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/4qbvJ.png" alt="kou_o" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/x4xo5.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/x4xo5.png" alt="kou_b" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/LSVyV.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/LSVyV.png" alt="kou_s" /></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">囗</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Nil</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Nil</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/rHSXG.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/rHSXG.png" alt="wei_s" /></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">王</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/rQ1vN.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/rQ1vN.png" alt="wang_o" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/UMTOh.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/UMTOh.png" alt="wang_b" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Nxay9.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Nxay9.png" alt="wang_s" /></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">玉</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/l445I.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/l445I.png" alt="yu_o" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/9wUdY.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/9wUdY.png" alt="yu_b" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/3Xp6N.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/3Xp6N.png" alt="yu_s" /></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">月</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/QqV3c.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/QqV3c.png" alt="yue_o" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/zgbpZ.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/zgbpZ.png" alt="yue_b" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/smgn1.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/smgn1.png" alt="yue_s" /></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">⺼（肉）</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ETHwG.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ETHwG.png" alt="rou_o" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Nil</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ZihPw.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ZihPw.png" alt="rou_s" /></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p><strong>Edit</strong></p>
<ol start="4">
<li><p>Personally, I do not agree that <code>酉</code> as a terrestrial branch is the result of <em>phonetic</em> loan. It fails the prerequisite where <code>酉</code> as a pre-existing character should be <em>otherwise unrelated</em> to the new meaning. Rather, there is <em>derivation</em> of meaning (引申), which is also seen in other terrestrial branch characters, most prominently <code>子</code> (a child symbolises the beginning). However - most of these are hypotheses. Some of the explanations on terrestrial branches given in <em>Shuowen</em> was also dubious. Therefore, the conservative way is to assert that there is a <em>phonetic</em> relationship, hence loan, between the two.</p>
</li>
<li><p>The same goes for <code>西</code>: some hypothesised there is a derivational relationship between 'bird nest' and 'the west' (the birds return to their nest as the sun sets in the west), hence this should not be a phonetic loan. Again, these are hypotheses.</p>
<p><code>一說以「西」名日落之方乃引申用法，而非純粹假借，理由在於「西」原為鳥之歸巢，由此聯想到夕陽西下之時，故名日落之方曰西（杜學知）。</code></p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Reference: Multi-function Chinese Character Database</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-31T07:21:21.467Z
“西: some hypothesised there is a derivational relationship between 'bird nest' and 'the west' (the birds return to their nest as the sun sets in the west), hence this should not be a phonetic loan. Again, these are hypotheses” this even looks logical why birds-nest is used for west. Thanks
user27485
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-31T07:55:54.280Z
@user27485 In this field, meaning associations and semantic extensions are quite strict - when inferring the shape of a pictogram and how it relates to the language, if primary evidence in the form of translatable texts with traceable meaning extensions are unavailable, then the "phonetic loan" explanation is the [null hypothesis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusion_of_the_null_hypothesis).
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-31T08:00:27.097Z
It is not good practice to try to draw meaning connections with everything; for example, in the case of the earthly branches, attempting to draw connections with *time; period* would result in the entire idea of semantic extension being devoid of meaning. 丑 `picture of a clawed hand` 卯 `picture of two blades` 辰 `picture of a plow` 巳 `picture of a snake` 午 `picture of a pestle` 申 `picture of a lightning bolt` 戌 `picture of an axe weapon` 亥 `picture of plant roots` ...
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-01T05:19:03.970Z
Thanks dROOOze for detailed information. I started learning Chinese and the description given by birds-nest to use for west will help me remembering west without any confusion. Before that if you give east and west and identify the west, I could have done incorrectly. But with this explanation west and birds-nest linkage had been built in my mind and hope I will never forget that. You are correct that it is not proven, Agree. But That resolved my problem for west and wine bottle. Regarding earthly branches is there any other method to remember those characters?
user27485
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-01T05:25:08.460Z
I understand some people remember their meanings by story telling methods with unrelated characters, symbols. As a learner as of now, I do not have better choice to relate west and birds nest, although it was not proven..any way which authority is proving etymology is correct or not? Is it any Chinese University?
user27485
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-01T06:25:52.530Z
@user27485 it doesn't matter how accurate the explanations are, if they help you remember something better. This was just a minor note on how the mainstream profession would approach things - and an emphasis that all written language reflects or reflected some sort of spoken language now or in the past, and that Chinese writing contains lots of symbols which only reflect sound, with no regards to meaning.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-30T03:52:05.377Z
2021-03-31T01:24:46.873Z
2021-03-31T01:24:46.873Z
L Parker
<p>The first thing to point out is that both <em>west</em> for 「西」 and <em>10th terrestrial branch</em> for 「酉」 are both <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebus#Rebus_principle" rel="noreferrer">rebuses</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_character_classification#Rebus_(phonetic_loan)_characters" rel="noreferrer">phonetic loans</a>. This means that the shape of the character does not have anything to do with the meaning of the word that it represents.</p>
<p>The character 「西」 represented a word which <strong>sounded similar or sounded the same</strong> to an existing word meaning <em>west</em>, therefore it was also used for the word <em>west</em>, and the same idea goes for 「酉」.</p>
<hr />
<div class="s-table-container">
<table class="s-table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th style="text-align: center;">時期</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">「西」</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">「酉」</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty" rel="noreferrer">商</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script" rel="noreferrer">甲</a><br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/eMmkh.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/eMmkh.png" alt="西" /></a><br>　</kbd><br><a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference" rel="noreferrer">前</a>5.13.2<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=34340&amp;jgwfl=" rel="noreferrer">合集34340</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">甲<br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/jEbOJ.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/jEbOJ.png" alt="酉" /></a><br>　</kbd><br><a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference" rel="noreferrer">乙</a>9021<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=20856&amp;jgwfl=" rel="noreferrer">合集20856</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou" rel="noreferrer">西周</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions" rel="noreferrer">金</a><br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OPdLV.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OPdLV.png" alt="西" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>伯⿹戈冬簋<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4115&amp;jgwfl=" rel="noreferrer">集成4115</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">金<br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/VKUQu.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/VKUQu.png" alt="酉" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>三年壺<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=9726&amp;jgwfl=" rel="noreferrer">集成9726</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period" rel="noreferrer">戰國</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_(Chinese_state)" rel="noreferrer">晉</a>・<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_(East_Asia)" rel="noreferrer">璽印</a><br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/yKAKb.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/yKAKb.png" alt="西" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>3966<br>古璽彙編</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yan_(state)" rel="noreferrer">燕</a>・璽印<br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/RfedF.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RfedF.png" alt="酉" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>3447<br>古璽彙編</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty" rel="noreferrer">秦</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips" rel="noreferrer">簡</a><br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/YcuUe.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/YcuUe.png" alt="西" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>日書乙種163<br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuihudi_Qin_bamboo_texts" rel="noreferrer">睡虎地秦簡</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">簡<br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/hIxY9.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/hIxY9.png" alt="酉" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>日書乙種225<br>睡虎地秦簡</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Western_Han" rel="noreferrer">西漢</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script" rel="noreferrer">隸</a><br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/5plrE.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/5plrE.png" alt="西" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>二年酒鋗</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">隸<br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/CvL6g.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/CvL6g.png" alt="酉" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>新承水槃</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Eastern_Han" rel="noreferrer">東漢</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">隸<br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/2g3lc.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2g3lc.png" alt="西" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>史晨碑</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">隸<br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/1bkQQ.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/1bkQQ.png" alt="酉" /></a><br>　</kbd><br>韓仁銘</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">—</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script" rel="noreferrer">楷</a><br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/5ti4o.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/5ti4o.png" alt="西" /></a><br>　</kbd><br></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">楷<br><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Tj1RD.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Tj1RD.png" alt="酉" /></a><br>　</kbd></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p>The similarity in appearance between 「西」 and 「酉」 is nothing but a long history of shape stylisation.</p>
<p>「西」 originally depicted a <em>bird's nest</em>, and this word is now written as 「棲」 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)" rel="noreferrer">Baxter-Sagart OC</a>: <strong>/*s-nˤər/</strong>). The character 「西」 was borrowed to mean <em>west</em> (also <strong>/*s-nˤər/</strong>) since the earliest traceable inscriptions, but this borrowed usage is a phonetic loan.</p>
<p>「酉」 originally depicted <em>a container for storing alcohol</em>. This was very early on extended to mean <em>wine, alcohol</em> in general, now written 「酒」 (<strong>/*tsuʔ/</strong>). An abundance of characters containing 「酉」 or a derivative of 「酉」 as a semantic component have something to do with <em>alcohol</em> or <em>fermentation</em>:</p>
<ul>
<li>「醬」 <em>fermented soybean sauce</em></li>
<li>「尊」 <em>ceremonial wine vessel</em> &gt; <em>wine ritual</em> &gt; <em>respect</em></li>
<li>「釀」 <em>to ferment</em></li>
<li>「醉」 <em>to be drunk</em></li>
</ul>
<p>The character 「酉」 was also very early on used for one of the <em>terrestrial branch</em>es (<strong>/*N-ruʔ/</strong>), but this usage is also a phonetic loan.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>See e.g. 《甲骨文合集》37986 for a record of the calendar days inscribed on an oracle bone. In this sample, 「酉」 is the bottom-most character on the right-most column.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/dmtdv.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dmtdv.jpg" alt="合集37986" /></a></p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p><strong>References:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>季旭昇《說文新證》</li>
<li><a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian" rel="noreferrer">小學堂字形演變</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/" rel="noreferrer">國學大師</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/" rel="noreferrer">郭沫若《甲骨文合集》</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/" rel="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
2021-03-30T11:26:29.920Z
Thank you very much dROOOze for your detailed analysis. 

西 is the rebus or phonetic loan word (originally bird’s nest shape) and evolution happened to current form.
user27485
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-30T11:30:10.937Z
In 37986, 酉 was part of calendar entries and that is also evaluated as rebus or phonetic loan word. 

Approximately howmuch percentage these rebus or phonetic loan words consists of total Chinese characters? Thanks in advance
user27485
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-31T08:31:13.793Z
@user27485 In a modern Chinese text, about 15-30% of characters are rebus borrowings (in terms of frequency of appearance, NOT unique characters used).
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-30T07:56:54.747Z
2021-03-30T08:03:14.433Z
2021-03-30T08:03:14.433Z
dROOOze
<p>西 xī west
酉 yǒu a wine vessel, 10 th terrestrial branch</p>
<p>Which word is first invented? Why these 2 are similar with a small line as an addition? Thanks</p>

<etymology><glyph-origin>
Why west and wine vessel/10 th terrestrial branch are similar?
# Why west and wine vessel/10 th terrestrial branch are similar?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-29)

西 xī west
酉 yǒu a wine vessel, 10 th terrestrial branch

Which word is first invented? Why these 2 are similar with a small line as an addition? Thanks

**Tags:** etymology, glyph-origin


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-03-30. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

The first thing to point out is that both *west* for 「西」 and *10th terrestrial branch* for 「酉」 are both [rebuses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebus#Rebus_principle) or [phonetic loans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_character_classification#Rebus_(phonetic_loan)_characters). This means that the shape of the character does not have anything to do with the meaning of the word that it represents.

The character 「西」 represented a word which **sounded similar or sounded the same** to an existing word meaning *west*, therefore it was also used for the word *west*, and the same idea goes for 「酉」.

---

| 時期 | 「西」 | 「酉」 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [商](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty) | [甲](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script)  `西` [前](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)5.13.2 [合集34340](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=34340&jgwfl=) | 甲  `酉` [乙](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)9021 [合集20856](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=20856&jgwfl=) |
| [西周](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou) | [金](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions)  `西` 伯⿹戈冬簋 [集成4115](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4115&jgwfl=) | 金  `酉` 三年壺 [集成9726](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=9726&jgwfl=) |
| [戰國](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period) | [晉](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_(Chinese_state))・[璽印](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_(East_Asia))  `西` 3966 古璽彙編 | [燕](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yan_(state))・璽印  `酉` 3447 古璽彙編 |
| [秦](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty) | [簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips)  `西` 日書乙種163 [睡虎地秦簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuihudi_Qin_bamboo_texts) | 簡  `酉` 日書乙種225 睡虎地秦簡 |
| [西漢](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Western_Han) | [隸](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script)  `西` 二年酒鋗 | 隸  `酉` 新承水槃 |
| [東漢](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Eastern_Han) | 隸  `西` 史晨碑 | 隸  `酉` 韓仁銘 |
| — | [楷](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script)  `西` | 楷  `酉` |

The similarity in appearance between 「西」 and 「酉」 is nothing but a long history of shape stylisation.

「西」 originally depicted a *bird's nest*, and this word is now written as 「棲」 ([Baxter-Sagart OC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)): **/\*s-nˤər/**). The character 「西」 was borrowed to mean *west* (also **/\*s-nˤər/**) since the earliest traceable inscriptions, but this borrowed usage is a phonetic loan.

「酉」 originally depicted *a container for storing alcohol*. This was very early on extended to mean *wine, alcohol* in general, now written 「酒」 (**/\*tsuʔ/**). An abundance of characters containing 「酉」 or a derivative of 「酉」 as a semantic component have something to do with *alcohol* or *fermentation*:

* 「醬」 *fermented soybean sauce*
* 「尊」 *ceremonial wine vessel* > *wine ritual* > *respect*
* 「釀」 *to ferment*
* 「醉」 *to be drunk*

The character 「酉」 was also very early on used for one of the *terrestrial branch*es (**/\*N-ruʔ/**), but this usage is also a phonetic loan.

> See e.g. 《甲骨文合集》37986 for a record of the calendar days inscribed on an oracle bone. In this sample, 「酉」 is the bottom-most character on the right-most column.
>
> [![合集37986](https://i.sstatic.net/dmtdv.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/dmtdv.jpg)

---

**References:**

* 季旭昇《說文新證》
* [小學堂字形演變](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian)
* [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_0**: Thank you very much username_2 for your detailed analysis.   西 is the rebus or phonetic loan word (originally bird’s nest shape) and evolution happened to current form.  
> **username_0**: In 37986, 酉 was part of calendar entries and that is also evaluated as rebus or phonetic loan word.   Approximately howmuch percentage these rebus or phonetic loan words consists of total Chinese characters? Thanks in advance  
> **username_2**: @username_0 In a modern Chinese text, about 15-30% of characters are rebus borrowings (in terms of frequency of appearance, NOT unique characters used).  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-03-30. Score: 3

1. In contrast to genuinely related character pairs, e.g. `木` and `本`, where the horizontal stroke in `本` indicates the root of a tree (`木`), `西` and `酉` are different. **They only share graphical similarity in modern script and look (and indeed are) rather distinct in older scripts. That is to say, they are etymologically unrelated.**

| Character | Oracle bone script | Bronze script | Seal script |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 西 | [xi_o](https://i.sstatic.net/rHtjP.png) | [xi_b](https://i.sstatic.net/Xd5x6.png) | [xi_s](https://i.sstatic.net/BeAoc.png) |
| 酉 | [you_o](https://i.sstatic.net/r13yI.png) | [you_b](https://i.sstatic.net/Z62q2.png) | [you_s](https://i.sstatic.net/KiFYE.png) |

2. **Both `西` and `酉` are found in oracle bone texts. Both of them also have derived ('younger') meanings, which makes differentiating their time of invention (of the character itself, and of meaning) rather hard.** To illustrate: `西` originally means 'bird nest', but was hypothesised to be a phonetic loan word (an otherwise unrelated, pre-existing character that was borrowed to express a character-less meaning based on phonological similarity) for the cardinal point 'west'. On the other hand, *Shuowen* outright equated `酉` with maturation or completion (`就` in classical Chinese), as harvest makes wine for rituals (`就也。八月黍成，可爲酎酒。`). The connotation of time was further strengthened when `酉` became one of the terrestrial branches.
3. **This phenomenon is not unique.** Other character pairs that are graphically similar in modern script but have different origins include: `口` and `囗` (an enclosure; mostly used as a radical), `王` ('king'; an axe with its edge facing downwards, symbolising authority and rulership) and `玉` ('jade'; jade pieces stringed together), `月` and `⺼` (`肉` as a left-radical, e.g. in `臘`, `肌`) etc.

| Character | Oracle bone script | Bronze script | Seal script |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 口 | [kou_o](https://i.sstatic.net/4qbvJ.png) | [kou_b](https://i.sstatic.net/x4xo5.png) | [kou_s](https://i.sstatic.net/LSVyV.png) |
| 囗 | Nil | Nil | [wei_s](https://i.sstatic.net/rHSXG.png) |
| 王 | [wang_o](https://i.sstatic.net/rQ1vN.png) | [wang_b](https://i.sstatic.net/UMTOh.png) | [wang_s](https://i.sstatic.net/Nxay9.png) |
| 玉 | [yu_o](https://i.sstatic.net/l445I.png) | [yu_b](https://i.sstatic.net/9wUdY.png) | [yu_s](https://i.sstatic.net/3Xp6N.png) |
| 月 | [yue_o](https://i.sstatic.net/QqV3c.png) | [yue_b](https://i.sstatic.net/zgbpZ.png) | [yue_s](https://i.sstatic.net/smgn1.png) |
| ⺼（肉） | [rou_o](https://i.sstatic.net/ETHwG.png) | Nil | [rou_s](https://i.sstatic.net/ZihPw.png) |

**Edit**

4. Personally, I do not agree that `酉` as a terrestrial branch is the result of *phonetic* loan. It fails the prerequisite where `酉` as a pre-existing character should be *otherwise unrelated* to the new meaning. Rather, there is *derivation* of meaning (引申), which is also seen in other terrestrial branch characters, most prominently `子` (a child symbolises the beginning). However - most of these are hypotheses. Some of the explanations on terrestrial branches given in *Shuowen* was also dubious. Therefore, the conservative way is to assert that there is a *phonetic* relationship, hence loan, between the two.
5. The same goes for `西`: some hypothesised there is a derivational relationship between 'bird nest' and 'the west' (the birds return to their nest as the sun sets in the west), hence this should not be a phonetic loan. Again, these are hypotheses.

   `一說以「西」名日落之方乃引申用法，而非純粹假借，理由在於「西」原為鳥之歸巢，由此聯想到夕陽西下之時，故名日落之方曰西（杜學知）。`

Reference: Multi-function Chinese Character Database

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: “西: some hypothesised there is a derivational relationship between 'bird nest' and 'the west' (the birds return to their nest as the sun sets in the west), hence this should not be a phonetic loan. Again, these are hypotheses” this even looks logical why birds-nest is used for west. Thanks  
> **username_2**: @username_0 In this field, meaning associations and semantic extensions are quite strict - when inferring the shape of a pictogram and how it relates to the language, if primary evidence in the form of translatable texts with traceable meaning extensions are unavailable, then the "phonetic loan" explanation is the [null hypothesis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusion_of_the_null_hypothesis).  
> **username_2**: It is not good practice to try to draw meaning connections with everything; for example, in the case of the earthly branches, attempting to draw connections with *time; period* would result in the entire idea of semantic extension being devoid of meaning. 丑 `picture of a clawed hand` 卯 `picture of two blades` 辰 `picture of a plow` 巳 `picture of a snake` 午 `picture of a pestle` 申 `picture of a lightning bolt` 戌 `picture of an axe weapon` 亥 `picture of plant roots` ...  
> **username_0**: Thanks username_2 for detailed information. I started learning Chinese and the description given by birds-nest to use for west will help me remembering west without any confusion. Before that if you give east and west and identify the west, I could have done incorrectly. But with this explanation west and birds-nest linkage had been built in my mind and hope I will never forget that. You are correct that it is not proven, Agree. But That resolved my problem for west and wine bottle. Regarding earthly branches is there any other method to remember those characters?  
> **username_0**: I understand some people remember their meanings by story telling methods with unrelated characters, symbols. As a learner as of now, I do not have better choice to relate west and birds nest, although it was not proven..any way which authority is proving etymology is correct or not? Is it any Chinese University?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 it doesn't matter how accurate the explanations are, if they help you remember something better. This was just a minor note on how the mainstream profession would approach things - and an emphasis that all written language reflects or reflected some sort of spoken language now or in the past, and that Chinese writing contains lots of symbols which only reflect sound, with no regards to meaning.  

---

