<p>If you google for images of 圭 you may find the designs vary a bit. The following is the shape given by dictionaries:</p>
<p>辞源 ▼</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/jifvA.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/jifvA.png" alt="辞源" /></a></p>
<p>汉语大字典 ▼</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8YgL3.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8YgL3.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-29T09:04:32.270Z
2021-03-29T09:04:32.270Z
Betty
<p>「圭」 does not come from a depiction of a tablet. That meaning of <em>jade tablet</em> is a semantic extension.</p>
<hr />
<div class="s-table-container">
<table class="s-table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th style="text-align: center;">時期<br>字體</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">字形</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">參考資料</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">—</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">A</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">—</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><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></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/LBwsr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/LBwsr.png" alt="圭" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">乙</a>6776<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=11006&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">合集11006</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">—</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">B</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">—</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">商<br>玉璋</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/VaDgP.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/VaDgP.png" alt="⿹戈士" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">殷墟玉璋</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><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></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/BMcSM.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/BMcSM.png" alt="圭" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">師遽方彝<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=9897&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成9897</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_period" rel="nofollow noreferrer">春秋</a><br>金</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OQN7T.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OQN7T.png" alt="⿹戈圭" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">旨於賜戈<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=11310&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成11310</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period" rel="nofollow noreferrer">戰國</a>・<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_(state)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">秦</a><br>石刻文</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/512el.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/512el.png" alt="圭" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">詛楚文</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Eastern_Han" rel="nofollow noreferrer">東漢</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">隸</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/lwINr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/lwINr.png" alt="圭" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">華山廟碑</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">楷</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8Wlqt.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8Wlqt.png" alt="圭" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p>「圭」 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Baxter-Sagart OC</a>: <strong>/*[k]ʷˤe/</strong>, <em>jade implement</em>) had two origins: A) the blade-head of a ceremonial jade <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagger-axe" rel="nofollow noreferrer">dagger-axe</a> <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/jinwen?kaiOrder=127" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「戈」</a> (<strong>/*kʷˤaj/</strong>), and B) semantic <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=41" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「士」</a> (<em>bladed weapon</em> &gt; <em>soldier</em>) with simultaneously semantic and phonetic 「戈」.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For reference, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Shāng</a>-era forms of 「戈」 inscribed with an emphasised blade-head:</p>
<p><kbd>商<br>甲<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Uzv3i.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Uzv3i.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a><br>屯南2194<br>　</kbd><kbd>商<br>金<br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/u19ys.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/u19ys.png" alt="戈" /></a><br>戈觶<br><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=6054&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成6054</a></kbd></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Series A) doesn't survive in the modern writing system; for Series B), later on, 「士」 was doubled, and 「戈」 was omitted. The 「士」-shapes were eventually corrupted into <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=40" rel="nofollow noreferrer">「土」</a>, forming 「圭」.</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>References:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>季旭昇《說文新證》</li>
<li><a href="http://www.xianqin.org/xr_html/articles/shshyj/225.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">李學勤〈從兩條《花東》卜辭看殷禮〉</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.gwz.fudan.edu.cn/Web/Show/902" rel="nofollow noreferrer">陳劍《說殷墟甲骨文中的「玉戚」》</a></li>
<li><a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">小學堂</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian" rel="nofollow noreferrer">字形演變</a></li>
<li><a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/jinwen" rel="nofollow noreferrer">金文</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>王輝《殷墟玉璋朱書「⿹戈士」字解》</li>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">國學大師</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">郭沫若《甲骨文合集》</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">中國社會科學院考古研究所《殷周金文集成》</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-29T15:04:07.683Z
2021-03-30T05:58:12.157Z
2021-03-30T05:58:12.157Z
dROOOze
<p>The Hanzi meaning for 圭 guī = (old) jade tablet (a ceremonial badge of rank)</p>
<p>I checked the images, not sure based on what jade tablet 圭 is drawn, can any one point to the correct image? Thanks</p>

<meaning><etymology><glyph-origin><calligraphy>
what exact image is the basis for the 圭?
# what exact image is the basis for the 圭?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-29)

The Hanzi meaning for 圭 guī = (old) jade tablet (a ceremonial badge of rank)

I checked the images, not sure based on what jade tablet 圭 is drawn, can any one point to the correct image? Thanks

**Tags:** meaning, etymology, glyph-origin, calligraphy

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-03-29. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

「圭」 does not come from a depiction of a tablet. That meaning of *jade tablet* is a semantic extension.

---

| 時期 字體 | 字形 | 參考資料 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| — | A | — |
| [商](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty) [甲](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script) | [圭](https://i.sstatic.net/LBwsr.png) | [乙](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)6776 [合集11006](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=11006&jgwfl=) |
| — | B | — |
| 商 玉璋 | [⿹戈士](https://i.sstatic.net/VaDgP.png) | 殷墟玉璋 |
| [西周](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou) [金](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions) | [圭](https://i.sstatic.net/BMcSM.png) | 師遽方彝 [集成9897](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=9897&jgwfl=) |
| [春秋](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_period) 金 | [⿹戈圭](https://i.sstatic.net/OQN7T.png) | 旨於賜戈 [集成11310](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=11310&jgwfl=) |
| [戰國](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period)・[秦](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_(state)) 石刻文 | [圭](https://i.sstatic.net/512el.png) | 詛楚文 |
| [東漢](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Eastern_Han) [隸](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script) | [圭](https://i.sstatic.net/lwINr.png) | 華山廟碑 |
| [楷](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script) | [圭](https://i.sstatic.net/8Wlqt.png) |  |

「圭」 ([Baxter-Sagart OC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)): **/\*[k]ʷˤe/**, *jade implement*) had two origins: A) the blade-head of a ceremonial jade [dagger-axe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagger-axe) [「戈」](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/jinwen?kaiOrder=127) (**/\*kʷˤaj/**), and B) semantic [「士」](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=41) (*bladed weapon* > *soldier*) with simultaneously semantic and phonetic 「戈」.

> For reference, [Shāng](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty)-era forms of 「戈」 inscribed with an emphasised blade-head:
>
> `商  
> 甲  
> ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Uzv3i.png)  
> 屯南2194``商  
> 金  
> ![戈](https://i.sstatic.net/u19ys.png)  
> 戈觶  
> 集成6054`

Series A) doesn't survive in the modern writing system; for Series B), later on, 「士」 was doubled, and 「戈」 was omitted. The 「士」-shapes were eventually corrupted into [「土」](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=40), forming 「圭」.

---

**References:**

* 季旭昇《說文新證》
* [李學勤〈從兩條《花東》卜辭看殷禮〉](http://www.xianqin.org/xr_html/articles/shshyj/225.html)
* [陳劍《說殷墟甲骨文中的「玉戚」》](http://www.gwz.fudan.edu.cn/Web/Show/902)
* [小學堂](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/)
  + [字形演變](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian)
  + [金文](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/jinwen)
* 王輝《殷墟玉璋朱書「⿹戈士」字解》
* [國學大師](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/)
  + [郭沫若《甲骨文合集》](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/)
  + [中國社會科學院考古研究所《殷周金文集成》](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/)


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-03-29. Score: 1

If you google for images of 圭 you may find the designs vary a bit. The following is the shape given by dictionaries:

辞源 ▼

[![辞源](https://i.sstatic.net/jifvA.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/jifvA.png)

汉语大字典 ▼

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/8YgL3.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/8YgL3.png)


---

