In the world of Chinese characters, there are always some characters that are unpredictable, like the "舂" character that we are going to discuss today. Do you know?
"舂" is not pronounced "chūn", but "chōng". Despite its lack of strokes, it contains rich cultural and historical connotations.
First of all, let's talk about the original meaning of the word "舂". From the glyph, "舂" looks like a person holding a pestle and pounding rice in a mortar.
In ancient times, rice making was an important agricultural work, and people used it to remove the husk of rice and get clean rice grains. Therefore, the most primitive meaning of the word "舂" is to pound millet, that is, to pound rice.
But there is much more to "Chung" than that. Throughout history, it has also been used as an official name to refer to officials who are specifically in charge of rice or related agricultural affairs.
Isn't it interesting to imagine that in the ancient imperial court, there was a "gentleman" who was busy managing agricultural affairs?
What's even more amazing is that the "lick" is also related to musical instruments. It may be hard for you to imagine how those heavy pestles and mortars can be associated with music.
In fact, the "gong" here refers to an ancient percussion instrument that produces a sense of rhythm through percussion and accompanies ancient dances and music. This makes us awe of the creativity and wisdom of the ancients.
In addition to these, "舂" is also closely associated with some geographical names. For example, Chungling County and Chungshan Mountain, these places may be named after the historical Chungmi activities, or the legends and stories related to "Chung" have been handed down to this day.
In ancient literature, the word "舂" also appears frequently. For example, the sentence "Who is startled when the hoe counts, the book breaks through the clouds and powder", uses the sound of the rice to metaphorize a sudden sound, breaking the quiet atmosphere, vivid and poetic.
In modern times, although the word "舂" is not commonly used, it still appears on specific occasions. For example, "scooping medicine" refers to the process of pounding medicine into powder.
In the Chinese medicine pharmacy, you can still see the pharmacists using traditional pestles and mortars to make medicines, which is both a kind of inheritance of skills and a respect for ancient culture.
Now, do you have a deeper understanding of the word "舂"?
Although the word is simple, it carries a wealth of cultural and historical information.
It allows us to see the scenes of ancient people working, and feel their love for life and pursuit of art. So, the next time you see the word "舂", you might as well pay more attention to its pronunciation and the story behind it!
Finally, let's do a little quiz! What is the correct pronunciation of "舂"?
If you answer that the Chinese pinyin of the character "舂" is chōng, it belongs to the first tone. Congratulations, you've successfully unlocked the mystery of the character "舂"! If you haven't mastered it yet, then hurry up and learn it and let this interesting Chinese character enrich your life!