蜀 (Shǔ)

short name for Sichuan 四川[Si4 chuan1] province; one of the Three Kingd

Etymology

Depicts a person (人) raising silkworms (虫). Refers to Can Cong (蠶叢), the legendary ruler of the kingdom of Shu (modern-day Sichuan), who was said to have been the inventor of silk.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“蜀,葵中蠶也。从虫。上目象蜀頭形,中象其身蜎蜎。《詩》曰:‘蜎蜎者蜀。’”

Components