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商
🇹🇼🇭🇰🇨🇳🇯🇵🇰🇷

salesman

HSK 1 N2
Society →Economy
shāng
ショウ
あきな.う
상
Origin unclear. Composed of 辛 (chisel) and 丙 (pedestal) with 口 being later added as a distinguishing component for the name of an ancient kingdom.
Components
辛 peppery+ 丙 third+ 口 mouth =
商 salesman
辛
xīn peppery
bitter
The purpose of this component is unclear.
丙
bǐng third
The purpose of this component is unclear.
口
kǒu mouth
This component was later added when the character was used for the name of an ancient kingdom.
Notes
Similar Characters
厗 宰 butcher薛 Xue辜 crime辞 phraseology (jp)辠 crime (archaic)辡 criminals accusing one辣 spicy hot亲 parents (simp)新 new梓 catalpa ovata莘 numerous辫 pigtail (simp)辮 braid (trad)鋅 zinc (trad)锌 zincum (simp)瓣 petal竟 unexpectedly童 juvenile两 couple (simp)
Historical Evolution
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Bronze
Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Bronze
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)
Bronze
Early Warring States (~400 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
商
Regular
Modern
Chinese
商 [Shāng]
Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC); surname Shang
商 [shāng]
commerce; merchant; dealer; to consult; 2nd note in pentatonic scale; quotient (as in 智商[zhì​shāng], intelligence quotient)
Japanese
商 しょう 同音

noun

  1. mathematics quotient
  2. business; merchant; dealer
  3. second degree (of the Japanese and Chinese pentatonic scale)
  4. historical Shang dynasty (of China; approx. 1600-1046 BCE); Yin dynasty
Example Sentences
Japanese Names
商 しょう
Shou surname
商 しょうざき
Shouzaki surname
CHINESE WORDS (200)
商业 [shāng​yè] #3,201
business
商业 [shāng​yè] #3,201
business
商店 [shāng​diàn] #2,051
store
商品 [shāng​pǐn] #6,361
commodity
商量 [shāng​liang] #2,827
to consult
商场 [shāng​chǎng] #4,386
shopping mall
商场 [shāng​chǎng] #4,386
shopping mall
商人 [shāng​rén] #4,757
merchant
商务 [shāng​wù] #9,518
commercial affairs
商务 [shāng​wù] #9,518
commercial affairs
190 more items
JAPANESE WORDS (200)
⭐ 商品 [しょうひん] #2,677
commodity
⭐ 商売 [しょうばい] #3,661
trade
⭐ 商人 [しょうにん] #3,675
merchant
⭐ 商店街 [しょうてんがい] #5,851
shopping district
⭐ 商会 [しょうかい] #8,706
firm
⭐ 商業 [しょうぎょう] #9,752
commerce
⭐ 商店 [しょうてん] #10,725
shop
⭐ 商談 [しょうだん] #15,219
business discussion
行商人 [ぎょうしょうにん] #17,403
peddler
商家 [しょうか] #19,835
merchant
190 more items
KOREAN WORDS (30)
대상 #12,276
wealthy merchant; influential merchant
협상 #14,069
negotiation; talk
거상
rich merchant; owner of a big business; business magnate
고물상
junk dealer; dealing of junk
무역상
trader
미곡상
rice dealer; rice store
상가
shopping complex; shopping mall
상공업
commerce and industry
상공업자
merchants and industrialists
상법
commercial law
20 more items