[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Natural-World \ #Celestial-Phenomena # 冰 bīng ice ## Components [[水 (shuǐ)]] [[水 shuǐ]] [[冫 (bīng)]] ## Meaning Today, the character 冰 (bīng) is primarily used to mean: 1. **Ice**: 冰 (bīng) - Ice 2. **To Freeze**: 冰冻 (bīng dòng) - To freeze 3. **Pure, Clean**: 冰清玉洁 (bīng qīng yù jié) - Pure and clean For example: - 冰水 (bīng shuǐ) - Ice water - 冰雪 (bīng xuě) - Ice and snow - 冰箱 (bīng xiāng) - Refrigerator ## History The character 冰 (bīng) is an ideographic compound character. Its original meaning is the state formed when water freezes. In oracle bone script, 冰 resembled ice formed when water vapor outside windows condensed into icicles during the cold winter. In bronze inscription, the character became larger, indicating that when water freezes into ice, its volume increases, causing it to protrude, forming an arched shape. In seal script, 冰 underwent significant changes. An additional radical 氵(water) was added on the right side, representing that ice is formed by the solidification of water. The character 冰 later extended to mean "pure" or "white," as in the phrase "冰清玉洁," metaphorically describing someone as noble and pure. In its original form, the character 冰 depicted the arched shape of ice formed when water freezes. In seal script and clerical script, it evolved to include the radical 氵(water), indicating that ice is formed from the solidification of water. Today, 冰 is used to mean "ice" or "to freeze," and it is also extended to mean "pure" or "white." ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[冰 ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[冰 bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[冰 seal.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[冰 cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[冰 reg.svg]]