Sinograph Addenda · Signs

four

Namefour
Reads
Meansfour
Taught in04 · Counting the world

Where it comes from

The oracle bones wrote four as four stacked bars (亖 — the honest continuation of ); the stated account is that this graph, whose own old picture is disputed, was borrowed for the numeral early and the bars retired. Counting words wear out their pictures fast. Taught in the counting chapter.

How to remember it

A box divided — four panes where four bars would blur.

In the wild

Analects 2.4. urn:nabu:kanripo:KR1h0004:002:4a · license: attribution.