談兩周金文「休」字文例結構與義項

On the Textual Structures and Word Senses of the Character“Xiū”in Bronze Inscriptions from the Zhou Dynasties

本文旨在對兩周金文常見的「休」字文例進行語法的分析，並結合字義的探討，共分出六類：（一）「（給予／得到）休美」之動詞義，見於「S+休+于+N（來源）」、「S+休+于+N（目標）」、「S+休，賜予、弗忘類之動賓結構」等句式；（二）「休美」之名詞義，當「S+休」作為動詞賓語時，產生名物化，如「（S1）+V+S2+休」、「（S1）+V+S2+休+命／令」句式；（三）「稱讚、稱頌」之動詞義，見於「（S1）+休+S2+VP」句式，為「休」的意動用法；（四）「美好」之動詞義，見於「（S1）+休+VP」句式，「休」與「VP」是並列結構，用以描寫主語的狀態；（五）轉喻為器物；（六）「美善」之形容詞義，為「休命」一詞詞彙化的結果。

This article adopts a syntactic analysis approach to the examination of sentences involving the character“xiū,”which is commonly found in the Chinese bronze inscriptions from the Zhou dynasties. The analysis identifies a total of six word senses of this character based on its lexical categories and syntax. The first one is the verb sense of“xiūměi,”meaning“give/receive accolades.”The verb mainly occurs in three sentence patterns:“S + xiū+ from + N (source),”“S + xiū+ to + N (target),”and“S + xiū,”which is a verb-object construction similar to the expression of bestowing or remembering in Chinese. The second one is the noun sense of“xiūměi.”When“S + xiū”is used as the object of a verb, the nominalization of the character appears in the structures such as“(S1) + V + S2 + xiū,”or“(S1) + V + S2 + xiū+ order/command.”The third one belongs to the verb sense of“praise”or“rhapsodize”that assigns a putative effect. The verb can be found in the sentence pattern“(S1) + xiū+ S2 + VP.”The fourth one is the verb sense that suggests“beautify”and can be primarily seen in the sentence pattern“(S1) + xiū+ VP.”Here,“xiū(beautify)”and“VP”are parallel structures used to describe the state of the subject. The fifth one pertains to a metonym for utensils. Finally, the sixth one is seen in the adjective form that represents“virtuous.”The meaning, accordingly, results from the lexicalization of“xiūmìng”(commendation-oriented order).