第 1 课

spoon, ladle;
measure word for things that can be scooped with a spoon;
something shaped or functioning like a spoon;

"勺" (sháo) is a single-component character, belonging to the category of pictographic characters.

Etymology and Evolution

Oracle Bone Script (甲骨文):
It resembles a ladle with a handle, featuring a round or oval bowl and a slightly curved handle, depicted in a realistic form.

Bronze Script (金文):
It inherits the form of the oracle bone script but with more standardized strokes, emphasizing the connection between the bowl and the handle.

Small Seal Script (小篆, from Shuowen Jiezi):
The character becomes more linear, written as "𠤎." Xu Shen explains it as "挹取也" (to scoop), with its original meaning being a utensil for ladling.

Clerical and Regular Script (隶书与楷书):
It gradually evolves into the modern form "勺," where the bowl is simplified to "勹," and the contents of the ladle are abstracted into a dot "丶."

Original and Extended Meanings:

Original Meaning:
A utensil for scooping, such as a soup spoon or rice ladle.

Extended Meanings:

1. Unit of Capacity: In ancient times, one shao (勺) was equal to one-tenth of a ge (合, gě), and ten shao made one ge.

2. Action: To scoop or ladle something, as in "勺药" (to scoop and blend, later borrowed to refer to the peony, "芍药").

3. Astronomical Name: In the Big Dipper (北斗七星), the four stars forming the "bowl" are called "斗" (dǒu), while the three stars forming the handle are referred to as "勺" (sháo).

“勺”是独体字，属于象形字。 

字源及演变

• 甲骨文：
  像一把带柄的勺子，勺身呈圆形或椭圆形，柄部微曲，形态写实。

• 金文：
  继承甲骨文，线条更规整，强调勺身与柄的连接。
• 小篆（《说文解字》）：
  字形线条化，写作“𠤎”，许慎解释为“挹取也”，本义是舀取的器具。

• 隶书与楷书：
  逐渐演变为现代字形“勺”，勺身简化为“勹”，勺中之物抽象为一点“丶”。

本义与引申义：

1. 本义：舀东西的器具，如汤勺、饭勺。

2. 引申义：

   • 容量单位：古代一勺合十分之一合（gě），十勺为一合。

   • 动作：用勺子取物，如“勺药”（舀取调和，后借指“芍药”）。

   • 星名：北斗七星中形成“斗”形的四颗星称“斗”，柄部三颗星称“勺”。