寫

Phono-semantic compound consisting of:

宀 (집 면) — semantic component, meaning house or covering, symbolizing a roof or enclosed space.

舄 (신 석) — phonetic component, providing the sound xiě / sa and originally meaning a shoe or sandal, sometimes written as 舃 in its older form.

According to Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):

「寫，摹也。从宀，舄聲。」

“寫 means to copy or trace (模仿). Formed from 宀 (‘roof’) and phonetic 舄.”

The earliest graph showed a person inside a house making marks or copies, suggesting the act of copying a text or image within an enclosed workspace.

This reflects an early association between writing and ritual or scholarly spaces — writing as an ordered act performed under protection or discipline.

The older full form with 舃 (U+8213) beneath 宀 is considered the orthodox (正字) version, while 寫 became the commonly used simplified form in clerical and regular script styles.

書寫 (서사) — to write; to record

描寫 (묘사) — to depict; to describe vividly

默寫 (묵사) — to write from memory

抄寫 (초사) — to copy by hand

重寫 (중사) — to rewrite

直寫 (직사) — literal writing; direct depiction

寫意 (사의) — freehand style; expression of feeling rather than form (esp. in Chinese painting)

寫真 (사진) — portrait; likeness; later, photograph (from Japanese shashin)

寫生 (사생) — sketching from life; drawing from nature

In the earliest inscriptions and bronze texts, 寫 was not yet used for general “writing” (that sense belonged to 書); instead, it meant “to copy or trace from a model.”

This nuance still exists in compounds like 描寫 (depict) and 抄寫 (copy).

Over time, its meaning broadened to include creative writing and expressive depiction, especially in the arts.

In the literary and aesthetic traditions of East Asia, 寫 acquired the elevated sense of transmitting essence through representation — not merely reproducing outward form, but capturing the spirit or feeling (意) of the subject.

This is seen in expressions like 寫意 (사의) — “freehand expression” in Chinese painting — where 寫 means to depict, and 意 means the inner idea or emotion.

Thus, 寫 bridges the physical act of writing or painting with the spiritual act of expression, uniting craft and emotion.

Cultural and philosophical meaning:

In Confucian and artistic contexts, 寫 represents the disciplined act of recording truth or transmitting learning.

In Daoist and aesthetic thought, it takes on a freer meaning — the spontaneous flow of feeling into visible form.

「筆寫其心，畫如其人。」

“The brush writes the heart; a painting reflects the person.”

This classical saying illustrates how 寫 transcends mechanical copying to become an extension of the mind and spirit.

The connection between writing and moral cultivation — copying scriptures, calligraphy practice, transcription of classics — was a major part of East Asian scholarly life, making 寫 both an intellectual and spiritual act.

Older form: 寫 with 舃 (U+8213) beneath 宀 — the earliest form in seal script.