• Journal of Sinology and China Studies
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• v.78
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• pp.47-65
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• 2019

Guang-ya(廣雅) compiled by Zhang Ji(張揖), in about A.D. 227, is a dictionary of synonyms. Wang Nian-sun(王念孫) discriminated among synonyms by Guang-ya-shu-zheng(廣雅疏證) in about A.D. 1795. In his book, Wang Nian-sun(王念孫) annotated synonyms of Chinese characters in Guang-ya(廣雅). At the same time, he also tried to find out the homophonic and synonymic relationship in Chinese characters. These are the foundation of the graphonomy of Chinese characters. So we can say, Wang Nian-sun(王念孫) made the greatest contribution to the theoretical construction to the etymology of Chinese characters. The outstanding dictionaries of Chinese characters were Shuo-wen(說文) by Xu-shen(許愼), Shuo-wen-jie-zi-zhu(說文解字注) by Duan Yu-cai(段玉裁) and Shuo-wen-tong-xun-ding-sheng(說文通訓定聲) by Zhu Jun-sheng(朱駿聲). These books described Chinese characters and also analyzed the homophonic and synonymic relationship in Chinese characters. The representative dictionaries in the etymology of Chinese characters was Wen-shi(文始) by Zhang Tai-yan(章太炎). The homophonic and synonymic relationship in Chinese characters was described and analyzed in this book. This report consists of five chapters. The first chapter gives the purpose of the etymological study in synonyms of Chinese character 'Xing(行)'. The second chapter gives analysis of the Yi-ti-zi(異體字) in synonyms of Chinese character 'Xing(行)' in Guang-ya-shu-zheng(廣雅疏證). The third chapter gives analysis of the Jia-jie-zi(假借字) in synonyms of Chinese character 'Xing(行)' in Guang-ya-shu-zheng(廣雅疏證). The fourth chapter gives analysis of the Tong-yuan-zi(同源字) in synonyms of Chinese character 'Xing(行)' in Guang-ya-shu-zheng(廣雅疏證). This report also gives analysis of the etymological study in synonyms of Chinese character 'Xing(行)' in Shuo-wen(說文), Shuo-wen-jie-zi-zhu(說文解字注), Shuo-wen-tong-xun-ding-sheng(說文通訓定聲). The concluding chapter provides the summary of the preceding chapters and the description of conclusion.