Taxonomy of meanings for 英:　　

  • 英 yīng (OC: qraŋ MC: ʔɯiaŋ) 於驚切 平 廣韻：【華也榮而不實曰英也又英俊亦姓漢有英布 】
    • BLOSSOM
      • nblossom; especially: petals 美若英，落英
      • nadNblossom-patterned 英衣
      • generalised:brilliant surface, sheen>SHINE
          • =瑛 exocentric>JADE
            • typical example: on shield>ORNAMENT
                • exocentric: polite>TEXT
                  • exocentric: commendatory>HERO
                    • nhero of the first order; hero
                • abstract: best of>ESSENCE

              Additional information about 英

              說文解字: 【英】，艸榮而不實者。一曰：黃英。从艸、央聲。 【於京切】

                Criteria
              • CITIES

                See 曲英結，先秦都城復原研究，黑龍江人民, 1991

              • BLOSSOM

                [COMMON/RARE]

                [DIALECT/STANDARD]

                [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

                [ELEVATED/FAMILIAR]

                [POETIC/PROSAIC]

                1. Huá 華 is the current general word for a flower, ubiquitous in SHJ.

                [GENERAL]

                2. Xiù 秀 refers to the flower as a sign of vigour and health and of an ability to bear fruit, and in many cases one can be in doubt whether the reference is more to vigorous fertility than to flowery aesthetics.

                [PROSAIC]

                3. Róng 榮 can refer in general terms to the flowers of shrubs and trees.

                [ELEVATED], [POETIC], [SPECIFIC]

                4. Pā 葩 is a Qín 秦 dialect word for a blossom.

                [DIALECT]; [[RARE]]

                5. Yīng 英 refers to a flowers which are not in connection with the development of any fruits.

                [SPECIFIC], [POETIC]

              • HERO

                1. The current general term for a person of almost superhuman strength or talent is xióng 雄 (ant. yōng 庸 "ordinary person").

                2. Jié 傑 / 桀 refers to an outstanding hero.

                3. Yīng 英 focusses on the hero as an illustrious figure.

                4. Jùn 俊 focus on the hero as a remarkable figure towering above ordinary man.

                5. Háo 豪 focusses on the hero as possessed of very great strength.

                6. Shèng 聖 (ant. fán 凡 "ordinary person") focusses on the hero as possessed of very great superior creativity and wisdom, and the word is mostly expanded to shèng rén 聖人.

                7. Xián 賢 (ant. bù xiào 不肖 "the incompetent") focusses on the hero as possessed of very unusually high moral, political, and practical talents.

                WENZI, shangli: 智過百人謂之杰，十人謂之豪，千人謂之俊，萬人謂之英。

                HUAINAN, taizu: 故智過萬人者謂之英，千人者謂之俊，百人者謂之豪，十人者謂之杰。