Taxonomy of meanings for 秋:　　

  • qiū (OC: tshiw MC: tsʰiu) 七由切 平 廣韻：【春秋説文曰禾榖熟也又姓宋中書舎人秋當七由切十七 】
    • autumnal> SEASON
      • nautumn
      • nadNcharacterised by an atmosphere of autumn
      • nadVtimein autumn
      • nadSgenerally: in autumn
      • n(post-N.)adSduring the autumn of that year
      • typical activity> HARVEST
        • nharvest
        • nadNof autumn
      • synecdoche> YEAR
        • nSHI: year
        • synecdoche> PERIOD
          • npost-Nthe period of N
          • nadNof the autumn periodCH
          • abstract> TIME
            • npost-Nright time for N; proper season for N

    Additional information about 秋

    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)毫/HAIR Háo 毫 refers to long, fine hair on animals.
    • Epithet: (SEASON)氣/COSMIC FORCE The most general term for physical principles operative in the dynamics of natural processes is qì 氣.