商shāng

商

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Simplified · Today

简体

Simplified Chinese

Modern simplified form (簡體). 商 (shāng, "commerce, business; to consult; the Shang dynasty") remains unchanged from traditional script — its structure of 辛 (punishment/tool) above 冏 (opening) originally depicted negotiation over a table, a visual metaphor that endured for three millennia. Though less prolific as a radical than 山, it appears in 墒 (cultivated land), 緔 (silk garment) and the phonetic component of 嫡 (legitimate wife), 敵 (enemy) and 謫 (to rebuke).

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Shuowen

商 depicts a ritual vessel with wine being poured from it, signifying the act of offering or distributing. The top part represents the pouring stream or the vessel's mouth, while the bottom part represents the vessel itself. This original sense of distributing offerings gave rise to the meanings of "merchant" (one who distributes goods) and "to discuss" (to exchange, as in distributing words).

Pinyin

shāng· HSK 2

商shāng

Character evolution

Shuowen

Pinyin