稱 (chēng)

balanced; name, brand; to say, to call

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 禾 represents the meaning and 爯 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "measure weight". The meaning later shifted to "lift", "raise", "praise", "reputation", and "call".

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“稱,銓也。从禾,爯聲。春分而禾生,日夏至晷景可度,禾有秒,秋分而秒定。律數十二,秒而當一分,十分而寸。其以為重,十二粟為一分,十二分為一銖。故諸程品皆从禾。”

Original meaning

measure weight

Components