231) 十

shi

ten; 10

The number 10 was originally written as single vertical line (丨) but later added a horizontal line to reduce confusion.

231a) 什

shen

assorted; miscellaneous

person 亻⁷⁰[rén] + ten 十 [shí]

Signifies ten (十) of miscellaneous people (亻) forming an assorted group. 

231b) 南

nan

south

hanger decorations 十  [symbol] + musical instrument  [symbol]

A clear-sounding percussion instrument (symbol) with hanging decorations (十) used in southern China, which eventually became to mean south.

231c) 单

dan

single

A sword is added on the traditional double-edged Chinese shield (shield/dry 干 [gān]), allowing the wearer to hunt with only single apparatus as the shield now doubles as offensive weapon.

231d) 千

qian

thousand

line 丿²³⁴[piě] + ten 十 [shí]

Number ten “十” is given an additional line (丿) to signify a hundred times of itself – one thousand.

231e) 伞

san

umbrella

canopy  [symbol] + frame  [symbol] + handle 十 [symbol]

This character reflects the image of an unfolded umbrella which consists of canopy (symbol), frame (symbol) and handle (十).

232) l

gun

232a) 中

zhong

center; middle

object 口 [symbol] + piercing/penetrating丨 [gǔn]

This character describes an object (口) which is pierced (丨) in the middle or center. It also means that China is the center of the world.

232bx) 钅

jin

232b) 钟

zhong

bell; clock

metal 钅=金¹⁹⁹[jīn] + center 中 [zhōng]

Signifies a metal (symbol) bell being hung on the center (中) of the bell tower. In the olden days, the bell tower of town offices also served as clocks.

232d) 书

shu

book

writing/script  [symbol] + brush丨 [symbol]

Signifies writing of characters (symbol) using brush (丨), which ends up becomes a complete book.

232c) 种 / 种类

zhong / zhonglei

seed; species

rice plant 禾¹³⁹[hé] + center 中 [zhōng]

Seeds of crops, which can be stored and transported, is the central (中) part of cultivating crops (禾). As well, a same seed will always yield a same crop – thereby also doubling as the meaning of species.

233ax) 乂

yi 

233a) 义

意义 / 含义

yi / yiyi / hanyi

righteous; just;

meaning

offering 丶 [symbol] + mow 乂 [yì]

the action of knocking down (乂) a sacrifice (丶) with a tool to offer to a deity. Through such a sacrifice ritual to ask for God’s will, the meaning of ‘righteous, meaning’ is derived.

233b) 论

lun

discuss

word 讠=言²²[yán] + righteous 义 [yì]

This character depicts the image of discussing (讠) together to know what God’s intention (义) is and also what is a right way (义) to do.

233c) 主

zhu

master

flame 丶 [symbol] + lampstand 王 [symbol]

flame (丶) that burns on top of lampstand (王), derived to mean the master as the flame is the center of all objects and beings in darkness.

233d) 住

zhu

reside, dwell, live

person 亻⁷⁰[rén] + lamp/master 主 [zhǔ]

Meaning of to reside/to live is formed by the people (亻) or residents who light their lamps (主) at night.

233e) 注

zhu

pour, inject;

concentrate

water 氵²⁰²[shuǐ] + lamp/master 主 [zhǔ]

Signifies pouring of oil (氵) into the lamp (主) to keep it. The character also doubles as to concentrate, as you continuously pour your attention into a single affair like you do with oil and its lamp.

234b) 作

zuo

make, do

person 亻⁷⁰[rén] + suddenly 乍 [zhà]

The character “乍,” which signifies a person harvesting with tools, is used to mean “sudden”; by adding the subject person (亻) it reinforces the meaning of to do.

234c) 昨

zuo

yesterday

day/sun 日²¹⁸[rì] + suddenly 乍 [zhà]

Meaning of yesterday is formed from the day (日) that passed all of a sudden (乍).

234d) 怎

zen

how

suddenly 乍 [zhà] + heart 心²⁸[xīn]

A question of how is formed when you suddenly (乍) reflect in your heart (心) the events of your past, and start asking yourself questions.

235) 小

xiao

small, little

Signifies group of three small dots(丶).

235a) 少

shao

less, little

Signifies group of four little dots(丶).

235bx) 目

mu

235b) 省

sheng

economize

little 少 [shǎo] + eye 目¹¹[mù]

This signifies the act of bringing objects into focus – in order to have a better, more careful look into – by squeezing (少) the eyes (目). One can then economize by looking into things more carefully. Doubles as meaning for a province, which allows rulers to look more carefully into the people.

235cx) 肉

rou

235c) 肖

xiao

resemble, be like

small 小 [xiǎo] + meat 月²²¹→肉¹⁹²[ròu]

A child is described as a small (小) body (肉) – signifying resemblance with his parents.

235d) 消 / 消息

xiao / xiaoxi

disappear; news

water 氵²⁰²[shuǐ] + resemble 肖 [xiào]

A child who takes after his/her parents (肖) is born when the amniotic fluid (氵) bursts and disappears. As well, contains dual meaning of continuously-changing “news” as the fetal fluid is continuosly formed and disappears in a life cycle of human child.

236) 叔

shu

father's younger brother; uncle

soy 尗 [shū] + hand/again 又³⁴[yòu]

This character depicts the image of a father’s younger brother who is too young to do such a hard work but is engaged in an easier work like bean (尗) picking with his hands (又).