fāng
square
Original meaning:
cutting edge
Depicts the cutting edge (一) of a knife blade (刀). Similar in origin to 亡. Based on the original meaning "cutting edge". The meaning later expanded to "perimeter", "area", and "square".
Evolution
![方 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC) 方 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)](https://data.dong-chinese.com/img/sinica/%E6%96%B9_0.png)
Oracle script
(~1250-1000 BC)![方 Bronze script Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC) 方 Bronze script Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)](https://data.dong-chinese.com/img/sinica/%E6%96%B9_5.png)
Bronze script
Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)![方 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD) 方 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)](https://data.dong-chinese.com/img/sinica/%E6%96%B9_15.png)
Seal script
Shuowen (~100 AD)![方 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD) 方 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)](https://data.dong-chinese.com/img/sinica/%E6%96%B9_22.png)
Clerical script
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)Regular script
ModernDefinitions
fāng
a square, rectangle; a region; local; square; power or involution (math.); upright; honest; fair and square; direction; side; party (to a contract, dispute etc); place; method; prescription (medicine); just when; only or just; classifier for square things; abbr. for square or cubic meter
Fāng
surname Fang
Component uses
Sources
季旭昇《說文新證》p.685-686