A Kanji Like an Accordion: Part 2
Friday, April 25th, 2008
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Last week we saw how the 約 in 約束 (yakusoku: promise, promise + to bind) can imply a binding contract. I don’t usually associate contracts with any sense of contracting, which is to say “shrinking.” But just as “contract” has these two meanings, so does 約, strangely enough.
“Contract” in English (and Latin) …
In fact, Halpern says that “shortening” is the original meaning of 約. When does 約 convey a sense of shrinking? I can think of no better example than this one:
括約筋 (katsuyakukin: sphincter)
to constrict + to shrink + muscleOh, come now. There are several sphincters in the body!
What’s With the Breakdown of 括?! …
Whereas 括約筋 conveys a drawing together, other 約 words are more about condensing something long:
要約 (yōyaku: summary, abridged statement)
important + to shrink
約言 (yakugen: contraction, summary) to shrink + speech
Two more 約 compounds have to do with restricting or regulating people’s rights:
制約 (seiyaku: restriction, limitation, condition)
rule + to contract
Posted by Eve Kushner in Kanji Curiosity | 2 Comments »
