第
부수: 竹
획수: 11획
第 has the meanings ordinal number and rank.
第 = 𥫗 + 𢎨
X = distortion + semantic/phonetic
• 𥫗 is a distortion of the top of 弟.
• 𢎨 itself is a derivation of 弟 (see below).
Evolution:
第 = a leather strap tied orderly around a spear ➔ order ➔ ordinal number
第 = a leather strap tied orderly around a spear ➔ rank
• 𥫗 is normally a variant of 竹 (bamboo), and some scholars take it to be such in 第. However, modern analysis suggests that 𥫗 is a distortion from 弟 and of no relevance to 竹.
• 弟 is a depiction of spears wrapped together by a leather strap (see historic form); where the vertical line is the spear and the snake-like curve is the strapping.
From this comes the meaning of ‘tied in an orderly fashion’. This relates to the order in which male children are born and thus ‘younger brother, junior’.
Mnemonic
Imagine a bundle of spears 𢎨 tied together with a leather strap, leaning against a six-foot-high stone wall. Behind the wall grows bamboo 竹, so above the wall you can see the hanging leaves 𥫗. Your younger brother left the spears there in order for you to find them.
Vocab
| 第一 | 제일 | first; most; primary |
| 第一期 | 제일기 | the first term |
| 第一線 | 제일선 | the front line |
| 第一主義 | 제일주의 | prioritisation |
| 第三 | 제삼 | third; tertiary |
| 第三者 | 제삼자 | third person/party |
| 第三人稱 | 제삼인칭 | third person (grammar) |
| 第3世界 | 제3세계 | the third world |
| 第六感 | 제육감 | the sixth sense |
| 落第 | 낙제 | fail to meet standards |
| 及第 | 급제 | to make the grade |
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Bibliography
Affiliate links help support uK.
— Daum 사전, [s.v. 第].
— Grant, B.K. (1982). A Guide To Korean Characters: Reading and Writing Hangul and Hanja, [s.v. 1000]. Seoul: Hollym.
— Outlier Dictionary of Chinese Characters, [s.v. 第, 弟, 𥫗, 𢎨].
— Seely, C., Henshall, K.G., & Fan, J. (2016). The Complete Guide to Japanese Kanji: Remembering and Understanding the 2,136 Standard Japanese Characters, [s.v. 359]. Singapore: Tuttle Publishing.