65886
Trying to look up the etymology of the kanji 金, every reference seems to give
a different explanation. Let me ask about two references (Wiktionary and
Hanziyuan)

[Wiktionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%87%91) gives the following
etymology

> semantic 王 (“upside-down axe”) + semantic 呂 (“two blocks of metal”) +
> phonetic 亼. 亼 is the ancient form for 今.

Hanziyuan said that in decomposition notes

> (- musical bell indicating metal)

I want to know the real etymology for this kanji and if it is one of these
two, I want to understand why.

I mean, if the Wiktionary explanation is correct then why is the upside-down
axe part of the character; if the Hanziyuan explanation is correct, then how
does the musical bell indicate the metal and where is this musical bell in
kanji?
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2019-03-07T02:09:35.840
65883
2019-03-08T07:23:02.370
2019-03-07T21:18:11.500
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question
kanji etymology
What is the etymology of the kanji 金?
「[金]{きん}」can indeed be viewed as containing semantic「呂」, semantic「王」, and
phonetic「[今]{きん}」.

> 「王」is a depiction of the blade of a _battle axe_ , used as a _symbol of
> power/authority_ > _king_ > _prince_.
>
> `[商](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty)  
> [金](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/B4cYX.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/B4cYX.png)  
> 小臣卣  
>
> [集成5378](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=5378&jgwfl=)``[西周](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou)  
> 金  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ipBTx.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ipBTx.png)  
> 大盂鼎  
> [集成2837](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=2837&jgwfl=)``今  
> [楷](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mwjyd.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mwjyd.png)  
>  
>  `
>
> In「金」,「王」is being used for the meaning _metal_ _(battle-axe)_ , emphasised
> here as an item of metallic manufacture.
>
> * * *
>
> As discussed
> [before](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/65804/what-is-the-
> etymology-of-the-kanji-%E9%A3%9F/65809#65809),「亼」is a _component_ in「今」. The
> more complex story is that, early on during the Shang Dynasty,
> both「亼」and「今」were used to represent the same word.「亼」is「口」written upside-
> down, while「今」is「曰」( _to speak_ ) written upside-down. The shape of「曰」is
> derived from「口」; see [What's the deal with/origin of the character
> 曰?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/3635/whats-the-deal-with-
> origin-of-the-character-%E6%9B%B0).
>
> `商  
> [甲](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ls4G8.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ls4G8.png)  
>
> [後](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)1.11.9  
> [合集36955](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=36955&jgwfl=)``商  
> 甲  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/u1hbm.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/u1hbm.png)  
>
> [鐵](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)110.4  
> [合集6038](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=6038&jgwfl=)``西周  
> 金  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bnKo9.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bnKo9.png)  
> 夨令方彝  
> [集成9901](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=9901&jgwfl=)``  
> [篆](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_seal_script)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZbMS5.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZbMS5.png)  
> [說文解字](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuowen_Jiezi)  
>  ``[東漢](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Eastern_Han)  
> [隸](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BG6Yc.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BG6Yc.png)  
> 老子銘碑  
>  ``今  
> 楷  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/om4Ub.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/om4Ub.png)  
>  
>  `
>
> 「今」is no longer used nowadays for its original meaning, which is now written
> as「吟・噤」.「今」(Zhengzhang OC: **/*krɯm/** ) was originally a depiction of a
> _blocked mouth_ , indicating the meaning _unable to speak_ , and it may
> share etymology with「禁」(also **/*krɯm/** ; _taboo, warning, prohibition_ ).
>
> * * *
>
> 「呂」depicts _metal disks/plates_ , representing a word now written as「鋁」(
> _copper plates_ , now re-interpreted as _aluminium_ ).
>
> `商  
> 甲  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/DkQw9.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/DkQw9.png)  
>
> [乙](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)8854  
> [合集22265](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=22265&jgwfl=)``西周  
> 金  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bjenW.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bjenW.png)  
> 貉子卣  
> [集成5409](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=5409&jgwfl=)``西周  
> 金  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fRhBd.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fRhBd.png)  
> 效父簋  
>
> [集成3822](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=3822&jgwfl=)``[楚](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu_\(state\))  
> [簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OF18f.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OF18f.png)  
>
> [上・䊷](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/ChuwenziReference)・15  
>  ``  
> 篆  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zDP3z.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zDP3z.png)  
> 說文解字  
>  ``今  
> 楷  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cI6Xl.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cI6Xl.png)  
>  
>  `
>

>> Note:「呂」had the same graphical origins as「⼎」, both representing _metal
disks/plates_ made from a forging process. While「呂」represented a word now
written as「鋁」,「⼎」represented a word now written as「鉼」( _metal plates_ ).

>>

>> You may later come across resources telling you that「⼎」means _ice_ ,
commonly used as a semantic component to do with _ice/cold_. In truth, this is
a phonetic loan;「⼎」>「鉼」sounded similar to the word now written as「冰」(
_Shinjitai:_ 「氷」; _ice_ ), and was used early on to represent this word.

Bringing these components together:

`西周  
金  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/x4NBA.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/x4NBA.png)  
過伯簋  
[集成3907](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=3907&jgwfl=)``西周  
金  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/knLiN.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/knLiN.png)  
師㝨簋  
[集成4313](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4313&jgwfl=)``  
篆  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/oZxSW.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/oZxSW.png)  
說文解字  
``[秦](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty)  
簡  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9WY6B.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9WY6B.png)  
[日甲](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/QinwenziReference)90背  
``今  
楷  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6RUNY.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6RUNY.png)  
  
`

* * *

**References** :

  * 季旭昇《說文新證》
  * [小學堂](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/)
  * [國學大師](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/)
    * [郭沫若《甲骨文合集》](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/)
    * [中國社會科學院考古研究{{kr:所}}《殷周金文集成》](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/)
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2019-03-07T07:18:14.280
65886
2019-03-08T07:23:02.370
2019-03-08T07:23:02.370
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answer