Gold(金)
The original seal form of this character showed the presence of four gold nuggets hidden in the earth. The regular form reveals only two nuggets:金.In the simplified radical form,even these two remaining nuggets are missing:钅.However,the proverb reassures us: “True gold fears no fire.”
象形字的“金”,表现的是隐藏在土里的四块金块。这个字形表明,造“金”字的时代,古人已经开始了在河床上淘金。现在常规的“金”字只在“金”的下部用两个点表现两块金块。在作为偏旁部首的金字旁(钅)里,这两块金块也被省略了。然而,谚语告诉我们:“真金不怕火炼。”
Keeping a Beauty in a Golden House
This anecdote is taken from Stories of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty,by Ban Gu(班固).
When Liu Che(刘彻)(156-87B.C.),who later became Emperor Wu,was four years old,the senior princess sat him on her knee and asked him if he wanted a wife.He answered yes.Then the princess pointed to her daughter Ajiao,and asked, “How about Ajiao?” Liu Che chuckled,and said, “She is lovely! if I can have Ajiao for my wife,I shall ensconce her in a golden house.” When Liu Che succeeded to the throne,he really made Ajiao his empress.
Later,this expression came to be used to refer to taking a concubine or keeping a mistress.
[本段英文翻译:何泽人]
金屋藏娇
金屋藏娇这个典故,出自魏晋志怪小说《汉武故事》,作者是汉代史学家班固。
汉武帝刘彻(公元前156-前87)四岁时,被景帝立为胶东王。长公主把他抱在膝上问:“孩子,你想娶媳妇吗?”长公主指着位列左右的百名宫女,当时还是胶东王的汉武帝都说不好。长公主指着自己的女儿问:“阿娇好吗?”胶东王笑着说:“好啊,如果能得阿娇做妻子,我就造一个金屋子给她住。”长公主大为高兴。两个孩子长大一些后,长公主苦求景帝,刘彻真的娶了阿娇做妻子。后来刘彻做了皇帝,又立阿娇为皇后。
后世用“金屋藏娇”来说以华丽的房屋让喜爱的妻妾居住。
“Analysis of Chinese Characters by bilingual”,is opened for the convenience of Chinese and foreign friends who are interested in Chinese characters. We’ll push a Chinese character every Monday,analyze its originand related culture. If there is any impropriety,welcome to correct us.
为方便对汉字感兴趣的中国朋友和外国朋友,我们新开设了《双语解字》栏目。每周一推送一个汉字的来历和相关文化,如果其中有不恰当的地方,欢迎中外朋友指正。
如果汉字,用心做的原创内容,通过一个字,学会一片字!帮助孩子抓住汉字规律,理解汉字文化,掌握思维方法,举一反三。