218) 日

ri

day; sun

Symbolizes the round sun, also signifying day – a cycle of the sun.

218a) 旦

dan

dawn; daybreak

Dawn arrives as the sun (日) rises just above the horizon (一).

218b) 但

dan

only; but; still

person 亻⁷⁰[rén] + dawn 旦 [dàn]

Man (亻) can but only wait for the dawn (旦) to arrive, and there is nothing else he can do.

218c) 昌

chang

prosperous

sun 日 [rì] + sun 日 [rì]

sun (日) above the horizon and its reflection in water. The sun (日) will get stronger and brighter as it rises, giving the meaning of prosperous.

218d) 唱

chang

sing

mouth 口 [kǒu] + prosperous 昌 [chāng]

When everything goes well (昌), people start to sing spontaneously with their mouths (口).

218e) 早

zao

morning

sun 日 [rì] + rising further up 十 [symbol]

Sun (日) rises further up (十) from the dawn “旦[dàn],” to start morning.

218fx) 舟

zhou

218f) 朝

chao

dynasty; towards

grass 艹 [cǎo] + sun 日 [rì] + boat 月 →舟 [zhōu]

Originally meant as a morning sun (日) rising above the grass (艹) field. ship (舟) was added to imply a smooth voyage – symbolizing a wish for a smooth (舟) sailing of a newly-established dynasty. Also derived to mean facing towards something, as people of a nation always faced the kingdom of a dynasty.

218g) 旧

jiu

old; past

afterglow丨 [symbol] + sun 日 [rì]

Symbolizes the sun (日) being slightly overlapped, representing the afterglow of the past sun with a simple symbol (丨).

218hx) 月

yue

218h) 明

ming

bright; clear; next

sun 日 [rì] + moon 月²²¹[yuè]

Sun (日), light of the day, and the moon (月), light of the night, are combined to signify brightness. Also signifies wishing for a bright future to come next.

218yx) 生

sheng

218y) 星

xing

star

sun 日²¹⁸[rì] + be born 生 [shēng]

Stars are represented as a baby sun (日) which was just born (生).

218zx-187a) 辰

chen

218z-187a*) 晨

chen

dawn, morning

sun 日²¹⁸[rì] + sickle/5th 辰 [chén]

Symbolizes a farmer starting his harvest with scythe (辰) since early in the morning when stars (日→晶) are still up.

218wx) 阝

fu

218w-147b*) 阳

yang

sun; male genitals

hill 阝[fù] + sun 日²¹⁸[rì]

This describes the sun (日) rising above a hill (阝).

218qx) 寸

cun

218q) 时

shi

time

sun 日²¹⁸[rì] + joint 寸⁴⁰[cùn]

The length of the shadow on a sun (日) dial was measured by a finger joint (寸) to tell the time.

219) 昜

yang

???

dawn 旦^218a[dàn] + haze/do not 勿⁴⁹[wù]

At dawn (旦), the edge of just-risen sun burns in haze (勿). This is the ancient version of the sun “阳 [yáng],” and changes into “ ” when combined with other characters.

219ax) 扌

shou

219b) 汤

tang

boiling water; soup

water 氵[shuǐ] + the sun =昜 [yáng]

Symbolizes water (氵) boiling like a fierce sun (symbol). Also refers to soup in general.

219a) 扬

yang

raise

hand 扌=手³¹[shǒu] + the sun =昜 [yáng]

Symbolizes raising something by hand (扌) like a sun (symbol) rising above the horizon.

219yx) 土

tu

219y-152a*) 场

chang

place; field

soil 土 [tǔ] + sun  =昜²¹⁹[yáng]

A large ground (土) with sunlight shining upon it (symbol) provides a suitable place for people to gather and hold events.

219z-49c*) 易

yi

(ex)change; easy

sun 日²¹⁸[rì] + haze/do not 勿 [wù]

When the sun (日) sets, a haze (勿) appears on the horizon. Day changes to night in a second. Because the sun (日) disappears beyond the horizon fast, this character came to mean ‘easy.’

220) 昔

xi

past, (former) times

It is believed that character symbolizes the past or the former days (日) of the flood ().

220a) 借

jie

lend; borrow

person 亻⁷⁰[rén] + former times 昔 [xī]

The family of Noah, people (亻) who survived the great flood in past (昔), would not have lived if they had not followed God’s words. Their lives are basically borrowed from God.

220yx) 钅

jin

metal

gold

220y-199b*) 错

cuo

wrong

gold/metal 钅=金 [jīn] + former times 昔²²⁰[xī]

If gold (symbol) and silver are stuck together for an extended period of time (昔), their materials start to flow to each other and mix. Such mix is considered wrong and inauspicious to happen to pure gold.