Shigu, Chapter 1 (Explaining Old Words)

既微且尰，骭瘍為微，腫足為尰。

"Both swollen and lumpy": sores on the shins are called wei, and swelling of the feet is called zhong.

是刈是濩，濩，煮之也。

"They cut it and they boil it": huo (濩) means to boil.

履帝武敏，武，跡也；敏，拇也。

"She trod on the Lord's big toe-print": wu is a footprint, and min is the big toe.

張仲孝友，善父母為孝，善兄弟為友。

"Zhang Zhong, filial and friendly": being good at serving one's parents is called filial piety (xiao), and being good at treating one's brothers is called friendship (you).

有客宿宿，言再宿也。

"The guest stays a night" (sucu) speaks of staying two nights.

有客信信，言四宿也。

"The guest stays a night more" (xinxin) speaks of staying four nights.

美女為媛，美士為彥。

A beautiful woman is called yuan (媛), and a handsome man is called yan (彦).

其虛其徐，威儀容止也。

"Soft and slow" (qixuqixu) speaks of bearing and demeanor.

猗嗟名兮，目上為名。

"Ah, the fine brow": the region above the eyes is called ming (名).

式微式微者，微乎微者也。

"Dwindling, dwindling" (shiweishiwei) speaks of dwindling again and again.

之子者，是子也。

Zhizi (之子) means "this person."

徒御不驚，輦者也。

"The footmen and charioteers are not alarmed": this speaks of those who pull the carriage.

襢裼，肉袒也。

Tanxi (襢裼) means to bare the upper body.

暴虎，徒搏也。

Baohu (暴虎) means to strike a tiger with bare hands.

馮河，徒涉也。

Pinghe (冯河) means to cross a river on foot.

籧篨，口柔也。

Qucu (籧篨) refers to people who flatter with words.

戚施，面柔也。

Qishi (戚施) refers to people who flatter with their facial expressions.

夸毗，體柔也。

Kuapi (夸毗) refers to people who flatter with their bodily posture.

婆娑，舞也。

Posuo (婆娑) means to dance.

擗，拊心也。

Pi (擗) means to beat one's breast.

矜憐，撫掩之也。

Jinlian (矜怜) means to comfort and take pity on.

緎，羔裘之縫也。

Yu (緎) means the seam of a lambskin coat.

殿屎，呻也。

Dianxi (殿屎) means to groan.

幬謂之帳。

A chou (帱) is called a curtain.

侜張，誑也。

Zhouzhang (侜张) means to deceive.

誰昔，昔也。

Shuixi (谁昔) means "in former days."

不辰，不時也。

Buchen (不辰) means "not at the right time."

凡曲者為罶。

Whatever is woven in a curved shape is called a liu (罶).

鬼之為言歸也。

The word gui (鬼, ghost) is said to mean gui (归, "to return").

父為考，母為妣。

A father is called kao (考), and a mother is called bi (妣).

父之考為王父，父之妣為王母。

A father's father is called wangfu (王父), and a father's mother is called wangmu (王母).

王父之考為曾祖王父，王父之妣為曾祖王母。

The father of a wangfu is called zengzu wangfu (曾祖王父), and the mother of a wangfu is called zengzu wangmu (曾祖王母).

曾祖王父之考為高祖王父，曾祖王父之妣為高祖王母。

The father of a zengzu wangfu is called gaozu wangfu (高祖王父), and the mother of a zengzu wangfu is called gaozu wangmu (高祖王母).

父之世父、叔父為從祖祖父，父之世母、叔母為從祖祖母。

The paternal uncles of one's father (elder or younger) are called congzu zufu (从祖祖父), and their wives are called congzu zumu (从祖祖母).

父之晜弟，先生為世父，後生為叔父。

Of a father's brothers, the one born earlier is called shifu (世父), and the one born later is called shufu (叔父).

男子先生為兄，後生為弟。

Among males, the one born earlier is called xiong (兄), and the one born later is called di (弟).

謂女子，先生為姊，後生為妹。

Among females, the one born earlier is called zi (姊), and the one born later is called mei (妹).

父之姊妹為姑。

A father's sisters are called gu (姑).

父之從父晜弟為從祖父，父之從祖晜弟為族父。

A father's male cousins on the paternal side are called congzufu (从祖父), and a father's more distant clan cousins are called zufu (族父).

族父之子相謂為族晜弟。

The sons of a zufu call one another zu xiongdi (族兄弟), clan brothers.

族晜弟之子相謂為親同姓。

The sons of clan brothers call one another qin tongxing (亲同姓), close kin of the same surname.

兄之子、弟之子，相謂為從父晜弟。

The sons of an elder brother and the sons of a younger brother call one another congfu xiongdi (从父兄弟), cousins through the father.

子之子為孫，孫之子為曾孫，曾孫之子為玄孫，玄孫之子為來孫，來孫之子

A son's son is called sun (孙), a sun's son is called zengsun (曾孙), a zengsun's son is called xuansun (玄孙), a xuansun's son is called laisun (来孙), and a laisun's son

為晜孫，晜孫之子為仍孫，仍孫之子為雲孫。

is called kunsun (晜孙), a kunsun's son is called rengsun (仍孙), and a rengsun's son is called yunsun (云孙).

王父之姊妹，為王姑。

The sisters of a wangfu are called wanggu (王姑).

曾祖王父之姊妹，為曾祖王姑。

The sisters of a zengzu wangfu are called zengzu wanggu (曾祖王姑).

高祖王父之姊妹，為高祖王姑。

The sisters of a gaozu wangfu are called gaozu wanggu (高祖王姑).

父之從父姊妹，為從祖姑。

A father's female cousins on the paternal side are called congzu gu (从祖姑).

父之從祖姊妹，為族祖姑。

A father's more distant female clan cousins are called zuzu gu (族祖姑).

父之從父晜弟之母，為從祖王母。

The mother of a father's male cousin is called congzu wangmu (从祖王母).

父之從祖晜弟之母，為族祖王母。

The mother of a father's more distant male clan cousin is called zuzu wangmu (族祖王母).

父之兄妻，為世母；父之弟妻，為叔母。

The wife of a father's elder brother is called shimu (世母), and the wife of a father's younger brother is called shenmu (叔母).

父之從父晜弟之妻，為從祖母；父之從祖晜弟之妻，為族祖母。

The wife of a father's male cousin is called congzumu (从祖母), and the wife of a father's more distant male clan cousin is called zuzumu (族祖母).

父之從祖祖父，為族曾王父；父之從祖祖母，為族曾王母。

A father's congzu grandfather is called zu zeng wangfu (族曾王父), and a father's congzu grandmother is called zu zeng wangmu (族曾王母).

父之妾，為庶母。

A father's concubine is called shumu (庶母).

祖，王父也。

Zu (祖) means wangfu (王父), grandfather.

晜，兄也。──宗族。

Kun (晜) means xiong (兄), elder brother. The above concerns the paternal clan.

母之考，為外王父；母之妣，為外王母。

A mother's father is called waiwangfu (外王父), and a mother's mother is called waiwangmu (外王母).

母之王考，為外曾王父；母之王妣，為外曾王母。

A mother's grandfather is called waizeng wangfu (外曾王父), and a mother's grandmother is called waizeng wangmu (外曾王母).

母之晜弟，為舅；母之從父晜弟，為從舅。

A mother's brothers are called jiu (舅), and a mother's male cousins are called congjiu (从舅).