[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Society-and-Culture \ #Clothing-and-Accessories # 经 jīng going through, pass through ## Components [[纟(mì)]] [[工 (gōng)]] [[工 gōng]] ## Meaning Today, the character "经" (jīng) commonly refers to a variety of concepts in modern Chinese. It can denote classics, such as religious or philosophical texts, and also has applications in commerce, finance, and everyday language. For instance, "经书" (jīngshū) refers to classic texts or scriptures, "经商" (jīngshāng) means engaging in business, "经过" (jīngguò) signifies passing through or going through a process, "经费" (jīngfèi) represents funds or expenses, and "曾经" (céngjīng) translates to once or previously. These diverse meanings reflect the character's evolution from its original depiction of warp threads to its multifaceted contemporary usage. ## History The character "经" originally represented the concept of vertical threads, akin to the warp threads in weaving, often paired with "纬" (warp threads) to depict the intersecting weave of fabric. In ancient scripts, "经" depicted tools used in weaving below the character "工," with three curved lines above representing the warp threads formed during weaving. Over time, "经" extended to denote north-south roads, while "纬" referred to east-west roads. In modern Chinese, "经" has various extended meanings, such as "经书" (classic books), "经商" (engaging in business), "经过" (passing through), "经费" (funds), "曾经" (once), and more. The phrase "眼前道路无经纬，皮里阳秋空黑黄" poetically suggests a lack of direction or guidance in the immediate path, with an ambiguous and uncertain future. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ? ### Bronze Script ![[经 jīng - bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[经 jīng - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[经 jīng - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[经 jīng - reg.svg]]