<p><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty" rel="nofollow noreferrer">商</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">甲</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/WOb0n.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/WOb0n.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">鐵</a>・197.1<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=10070&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">合集10070</a></kbd><kbd>商<br>甲<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/4SlFk.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/4SlFk.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">燕</a>165<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=37986&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">合集37986</a></kbd><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou" rel="nofollow noreferrer">西周</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions" rel="nofollow noreferrer">金</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/HcmMo.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/HcmMo.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>利簋<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4131&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成4131</a></kbd><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty" rel="nofollow noreferrer">秦</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips" rel="nofollow noreferrer">簡</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/o9b2H.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/o9b2H.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>秦律雜抄<br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuihudi_Qin_bamboo_texts" rel="nofollow noreferrer">睡虎地秦簡</a></kbd><kbd>今<br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">楷</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/zBhmv.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/zBhmv.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><br>　</kbd></p>

<p>「未」depicts a flourishing tree (tree with more branches or longer branches than「木」), indicating the meaning <em>fragrance</em> (i.e. when trees/plants are in full bloom). The current shape is derived from a variant with two more branches drawn, and these extra branches became straightened out into one stroke over time.</p>

<p>This word that「未」represented is now written as「味」(e.g. 味道, <em>smell</em>), while the senses <em>not yet</em> (e.g. 未來, <em>future</em>) and <em>earthly branches</em> (地支) are both <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_character_classification#Rebus_(phonetic_loan)_characters" rel="nofollow noreferrer">phonetic loans</a>.</p>

<hr>

<p><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_period" rel="nofollow noreferrer">春秋</a><br>金<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/73TMo.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/73TMo.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>蔡侯紐鐘<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=218&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成218</a></kbd>
<kbd><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_seal_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">篆</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/EE7Mj.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EE7Mj.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><a href="https://ctext.org/library.pl?if=gb&amp;file=77390&amp;page=63" rel="nofollow noreferrer">木部・末</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuowen_Jiezi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">說文解字</a></kbd><kbd>今<br>楷<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/sNubm.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/sNubm.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br><br>　</kbd></p>

<p>「末」depicts a tree with a mark at the upper end, indicating the meaning <em>upper extremity > end</em>. The mark grew in length over time.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-22T02:44:52.167Z
2019-09-22T02:44:52.167Z
dROOOze
<p>I'm curious whether the shorter stroke or longer stroke are the extra strokes added to 木 to form the characters 未 and 末? And do these strokes have a semantic significance? I learned that 本 has the extra stroke at the bottom for the meaning of root. I'm expecting that 未 and 末 have a comparable explanation that might help me remember them, as I'm continually getting these two mixed up.</p>

<characters>
Which is the additional stroke added to 末 and to 未? significance?
# Which is the additional stroke added to 末 and to 未? significance?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-06)

I'm curious whether the shorter stroke or longer stroke are the extra strokes added to 木 to form the characters 未 and 末? And do these strokes have a semantic significance? I learned that 本 has the extra stroke at the bottom for the meaning of root. I'm expecting that 未 and 末 have a comparable explanation that might help me remember them, as I'm continually getting these two mixed up.

**Tags:** characters

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-09-22. Score: 1

`商  
甲  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/WOb0n.png)  
鐵・197.1  
合集10070``商  
甲  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/4SlFk.png)  
燕165  
合集37986``西周  
金  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/HcmMo.png)  
利簋  
集成4131``秦  
簡  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/o9b2H.png)  
秦律雜抄  
睡虎地秦簡``今  
楷  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/zBhmv.png)`

「未」depicts a flourishing tree (tree with more branches or longer branches than「木」), indicating the meaning *fragrance* (i.e. when trees/plants are in full bloom). The current shape is derived from a variant with two more branches drawn, and these extra branches became straightened out into one stroke over time.

This word that「未」represented is now written as「味」(e.g. 味道, *smell*), while the senses *not yet* (e.g. 未來, *future*) and *earthly branches* (地支) are both [phonetic loans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_character_classification#Rebus_(phonetic_loan)_characters).

---

`春秋  
金  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/73TMo.png)  
蔡侯紐鐘  
集成218`
 `篆  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/EE7Mj.png)  
木部・末  
說文解字``今  
楷  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/sNubm.png)`

「末」depicts a tree with a mark at the upper end, indicating the meaning *upper extremity > end*. The mark grew in length over time.


---

