[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Natural-World \ #Animals # 鱼 yú fish ## Components [[刀 (dāo)]] [[刀 dāo]] [[一 (yī)]] [[一 yī]] ## Meaning The Chinese character 鱼 (yú) means "fish." It represents a cold-blooded aquatic vertebrate animal with fins and gills, typically breathing through gills and living in water. Fish are an essential part of aquatic ecosystems and are a significant food source for humans in many cultures. In Chinese culture, fish hold symbolic significance and are associated with abundance, prosperity, and wealth. The pronunciation of 鱼 (yú) is similar to the word for "abundance" or "surplus" (余 yú), making fish a symbol of surplus and prosperity. As a result, fish are often featured in Chinese art, decorations, and rituals, especially during festive occasions like the Lunar New Year, where serving fish is considered auspicious. ## History The character 鱼 (yú) has undergone significant evolution throughout Chinese history. Its origins can be traced back to the Oracle Bone Script of the Shang Dynasty, where it was depicted as a pictograph resembling a fish with curved lines for the body and tail, and dots or lines for eyes or scales. This script was used for divination purposes. During the Zhou Dynasty, the character's depiction became more standardized in Bronze Inscriptions. It featured a clearer representation of the fish's body, tail, and sometimes fins, and these inscriptions were cast onto bronze objects for ceremonial and ritual purposes. As the Eastern Zhou Dynasty began, the seal script emerged, featuring a more stylized and abstract representation of the character 鱼 (yú). Although the fish shape remained recognizable, it became more geometric, with simplified strokes and fewer details. In the Han Dynasty, the clerical script became standardized for official documents. The character 鱼 (yú) in clerical script retained the basic fish shape but had a more angular and rigid appearance, with straighter lines and simplified curves. The regular script, or kaishu, became the standard handwriting script during the Han Dynasty and continues to be used today. In this script, the character 鱼 (yú) became more refined and balanced, with clearer strokes and proportions, while still retaining the essential elements of the fish shape. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[鱼oracular.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[鱼 bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[鱼 seal.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[鱼cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[鱼 reg.svg]]