<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/character-etymology.php?zi=%E5%85%A5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/character-etymology.php?zi=%E5%85%A5</a></p>
  
  <p>(象形) Pictographic. Picture of the sharp point of an arrow used to pierce something.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>~</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://www.chineseetymology.org/CharacterEtymology.aspx?characterInput=%E5%85%A5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.chineseetymology.org/CharacterEtymology.aspx?characterInput=%E5%85%A5</a></p>
  
  <p>Primitive pictograph 入. An open tent door. Meaning enter.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>~</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://www.vividict.com/wordinfo.aspx?id=3197" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.vividict.com/wordinfo.aspx?id=3197</a></p>
  
  <p>字源解说</p>
  
  <p>入，甲骨文像盒盖向下，表示收存物品，加盖封藏。造字本义：收存物品，加盖封藏。</p>
  
  <p>(入 in oracle looked like a lid facing down to represent "to store items in" , or 'seal something with a lid' .  "Enter" was an extended meaning.</p>
  
  <p>The original meaning of the word: the storage of items, stamped sealed.)</p>
  
  <p>金文承续甲骨文字形。有的金文形似屋“宀”。</p>
  
  <p>(金文 inherited Oracle shape. Some 金文 of 入 looked like "house")</p>
  
  <p><em>that may had been the origin of 'An open tent door' etymology</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>After studied the references, my conclusion is the earliest pictographic of 入 resembled a lid facing down.  Then evolved into 'open tent' shape. </p>

<p>The 'arrow' representing 'enter' (入) etymology is likely an later  interpretation. (<em>depend on how early 'arrow head' was invented, it might had been developed concurrently with 'lid'  for the meaning of 入</em>)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-07T11:04:32.183Z
2017-02-07T11:04:32.183Z
Tang Ho
<p>I find 2 very different glyph origins for 入</p>

<ol>
<li>It shows the roots of a plant entering the ground.</li>
<li>It is a picture of an open tent or tent door.</li>
</ol>

<p>Which is correct? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-07T12:38:31.403Z
[說文新證](http://m.sanmin.com.tw/product/index/004732840) says that the etymology of the earliest oracle bone form of 入 is unclear. This book seems to be quite well-researched, which means that your question cannot be reliably answered. Most explanations you can see are guesses, and there's probably not enough information to say whose guess is more likely.
米好 '-'
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-07T15:18:38.060Z
@Pedroski Where did you find these two "very different etymologies"?
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-07T23:50:50.053Z
zhongwen.com and chineseetymology.org
Pedroski
<etymology><glyph-origin>
Which is the correct glyph origin of 入
# Which is the correct glyph origin of 入

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-02-07)

I find 2 very different glyph origins for 入

1. It shows the roots of a plant entering the ground.
2. It is a picture of an open tent or tent door.

Which is correct?

**Tags:** etymology, glyph-origin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: [說文新證](http://m.sanmin.com.tw/product/index/004732840) says that the etymology of the earliest oracle bone form of 入 is unclear. This book seems to be quite well-researched, which means that your question cannot be reliably answered. Most explanations you can see are guesses, and there's probably not enough information to say whose guess is more likely.  
> **username_2**: @username_0 Where did you find these two "very different etymologies"?  
> **username_0**: zhongwen.com and chineseetymology.org  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-02-07. Score: 1

> <http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/character-etymology.php?zi=%E5%85%A5>
>
> (象形) Pictographic. Picture of the sharp point of an arrow used to pierce something.

~

> <http://www.chineseetymology.org/CharacterEtymology.aspx?characterInput=%E5%85%A5>
>
> Primitive pictograph 入. An open tent door. Meaning enter.

~

> <http://www.vividict.com/wordinfo.aspx?id=3197>
>
> 字源解说
>
> 入，甲骨文像盒盖向下，表示收存物品，加盖封藏。造字本义：收存物品，加盖封藏。
>
> (入 in oracle looked like a lid facing down to represent "to store items in" , or 'seal something with a lid' . "Enter" was an extended meaning.
>
> The original meaning of the word: the storage of items, stamped sealed.)
>
> 金文承续甲骨文字形。有的金文形似屋“宀”。
>
> (金文 inherited Oracle shape. Some 金文 of 入 looked like "house")
>
> *that may had been the origin of 'An open tent door' etymology*

After studied the references, my conclusion is the earliest pictographic of 入 resembled a lid facing down. Then evolved into 'open tent' shape.

The 'arrow' representing 'enter' (入) etymology is likely an later interpretation. (*depend on how early 'arrow head' was invented, it might had been developed concurrently with 'lid' for the meaning of 入*)


---

