當我看 Hinen 的答案時,看到近代書將「了」分為象形字。 大概是因為《說文解字》曾提及「象形」二字如下:
了,尦也。从子,無臂。象形。
作者許慎的意思應該是將「了」判為象形字。
《說文解字》的序文有象形字的定義:
象形者,畫成其物,隨體詰詘,日月是也。
象形字是依物體的彎曲樣子將它的形狀畫出來,譬如,日和月。
也就是說,象形字是直接描繪該物體。
但是,段玉裁的《說文解字注》將許慎的「象形」二字解釋為:象「其足了戾」之形,而不是解為:象「子無臂」之形。 也就是說,段玉裁認為「了」是畫「兩腳糾結」之形,而不是直接畫「子無臂」之形。 段玉裁會如此解釋,大概是因為「了」的本義是「尦」。 (依 Hinen 的答案,「尦」的意思是,行走時,小腿相互交叉。)
但這就暗示「了」不是象形字,因為不是直接描繪該物體。
是段玉裁解錯了嗎?還是許慎判錯了?
「了」是象形字嗎?如果不是,那是哪一種字?
When I look at Hinen's answer, I see that 了 is a pictograph in the modern books. It is probably due to that there are two characters, 象形, in the 《說文解字》 as follows.
了,尦也。从子,無臂。象形。
The author, 許慎, should mean that 了 is a pictograph.
There is a definition of pictographs in the preface of 《說文解字》.
象形者,畫成其物,隨體詰詘,日月是也。
A pictograph is drawn by following the curved shape of an object, such as 日 (sun) and 月 (moon).
That is, a pictographic word is made by drawing the object DIRECTLY.
However, in the 《說文解字注》, 段玉裁 interpreted 許慎's 象形 as 象「其足了戾」之形 rather than 象「子無臂」之形。 In other words, 段玉裁 thought that 了 was made by depicting the twined and bound shape of two feet, rather than by DIRECTLY depicting the shape of "a baby without arms". This is probably because the original meaning of 了 is 尦. (According to Hinen's answer, 尦 means that the shanks cross each other while walking.)
However, this implies that 了 is not a pictograph because it is not made by DIRECTLY drawing the object.
Was the interpretation made by 段玉裁 wrong?
Or
Did 許慎 make a wrong judgment?
Is 了 a pictograph? If not, what category does it belong to?