第 1 课

correct, right;
yes (in response);
to be (copula verb);

"是" is a compound ideographic character, composed of "日" (sun) and "正" (correct).

Etymology and Evolution

• Bronze Script:
  The upper part is "日" (sun), and the lower part is "止" (foot, representing action), sometimes with an added horizontal line indicating direction. The character symbolizes aligning direction with the sun, conveying the meaning of "straight" or "correct."

• Small Seal Script (Shuowen Jiezi):
  Derived from the bronze script, it was standardized as "from日 and正." Xu Shen defined it as "直也" (straight), with the original meaning of upright or correct.

• Clerical and Regular Scripts:
  The character evolved into its modern form "是," with "日" above and a transformed "正" below.
  
  

Original and Extended Meanings

• Original Meaning: Correct, upright, as in "是非分明" (to distinguish right from wrong).

• Extended Meanings:

  1. Copula: Indicates affirmation or existence, e.g., "我是学生" (I am a student).

  2. Pronoun: Refers to something previously mentioned, e.g., "是日天气晴朗" (The weather was clear that day).

  3. Emphatic Structure: Used with "的" in "是……的," e.g., "他是昨天来的" (He came yesterday).

“是”为合体会意字，从日从正。

字源及演变

• 金文：上部为“日”（太阳），下部为“止”（脚趾，表行动），或加“一”表示方向，整体像以日为标准校正方向，会“正直、正确”之意。

• 小篆（《说文解字》）：承袭金文，定型为“从日正”，许慎释为“直也”，本义为正直、正确。

• 隶书与楷书：逐渐笔画化，“日”在上，“正”（变形为“疋”或“正”）在下，演变为现代字形“是”。

本义与引申义

• 本义：正确、正直，如《论语》“是非分明”。

• 引申义：

  1. 判断词：表示肯定或存在，如“我是学生”。

  2. 代词：代指前述事物，如“是日天气晴朗”。

  3. 强调结构：与“的”构成“是……的”，如“他是昨天来的”。