Taxonomy of meanings for 春:　　

  • chūn (OC: thjun MC: tɕʰʷin) 昌脣切 平 廣韻：【四時之首尚書大傳曰春出也萬物之出也春秋説題曰春蠢也蠢興也春秋繁露曰春喜氣又姓何氏姓苑云春申君黃歇之後昌脣切一 】
    • SEASON
      • nspring 一春
      • nadNbelonging to spring
      • nadVtimein spring
      • nadSgenerally: in spring
      • NPabtimeend of spring
      • of life> YOUTH
        • metonymy> DESIRE
          • nabpsych
          • metonymy> LIQUOR
            • nmpost-Nmliquor TU FU 米春
      • generalised> YEAR
        • nyear

      Additional information about 春

      說文解字:

        Criteria
      • HISTORY

        史 refers to officials in charge of historical records on the one hand, and on compilations like those they compile on the other. The development of a standard current term for historia ipsa, the historical developments themselves, was late and still needs to be explored. In the Guodian Luncong 1 we find 春秋 for historiography contrasting with 古今之事.

      • AGE

        [ARCHAIC/CURRENT]

        [BASIC/MARGINAL]

        [BRIEF/LONG]

        [COMMON/RARE]

        [POETIC/PROSAIC]

        [QUANTIFIED/UNQUANTIFIED

        [ELEVATED], [INFORMAL]

        1. Nián 年, basically an agricultural term, "year of one's life" refers to age specifically in terms of number year, and the focus is on this period as having a certain length.

        [COMMON], [QUANTIFIED]

        2. Suì 歲, basically an astronomical term, refers to the year as an astronomical unit and then to "number of years one has lived"; the refers to the unit by which years are counted and the length of time as such. A primary basis of the image in these words is plant life.

        [BASIC], [FREQUENT], [QUANTIFIED]

        3. Chǐ 齒 typically refers to the age of animals, but the word also has generalised meanings where it refers informally to the age or seniority of humans. The primary basis of the image for time is the fauna of teethed animals.

        [ARCHAIC]; [[RARE]]

        4. Shòu 壽 refers to venerable high age as something desirable rather than as connoting decrepitude.

        [ELEVATED], [LONG]

        5. Chūn qiū 春秋 refers periphrastically, in polite and flowery speech, to years of age. See YEAR.

        [ELEVATED], [POETIC], [QUANTIFIED]

      • YEAR

        1. The most current general word for the year is the basically agricultural nián 年. This word can refer to the years of age as well as to the time-span of a year as such. After a number word nián 年 always refers to a number of years as such and not to a person's age.

        2. Suì 歲, named after the star Juppiter, can refer to years in general, but after a number word suì 歲 typically refers to years of age and not to number of years as such. (Cf. 年十三歲 )This term is astronomical in origin and defines the year primarily in terms of the revolutions of the planets.

        3. Zǎi 載, probably named after the recurrent period of growth (cái 才 ) refers quite generally to the length of a year as such, and never to years of age.

        4. Sì 祀 is an archaic periphrastic way of referring to the year as defined by the annual sacrifices.

        5. Qiū 秋, more rarely and later also chūn 春 are occasionally used in elevated stylistic contexts to refer to a year.

        6. Chūn qiū 春秋 refers specifically to years of age.

      • SEASON

        1. The general term for a season is shí 時, and the primary seasons are chūn 春 and qiū 秋, in Warring States times the names of the Four Seasons became current.

        2. Jì 季 refers to the last month of each season.

        Word relations
      • Epithet: (SEASON)風/WIND The dominant word for wind is fēng 風.
      • Epithet: (SEASON)氣/COSMIC FORCE The most general term for physical principles operative in the dynamics of natural processes is qì 氣.