二维码
èr wéi mǎ · HSK 5
QR code
📱 二 + 维 + 码 = two + dimension + code
二 (èr) is two, 维 (wéi) means dimension or fiber, and 码 (mǎ) is code or numeral. Together: a two-dimensional code, i.e. a QR code. The same 码 shows up in 密码 (password) and 号码 (number).
二 — two horizontal strokes 一 + 一
二 is an indicative character showing the number two with two simple horizontal lines, parallel to 一 (one) and 三 (three). The form has been stable since oracle bone script. It directly represents the concept of 'two' rather than depicting any physical object.
码 — stone radical 石 + 马 (mǎ, horse, phonetic)
码 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The stone radical 石 hints at the original meaning: a small stone or weight used for counting or measuring. 马 supplies the sound mǎ. Over time the meaning broadened to 'numeral, code, yard (unit),' as in 号码 (number) and 密码 (password).
èr wéi mǎ · HSK 5
QR code
📱 二维码 = two + dimension + code (2D code = QR code)
二 means two, 维 means dimension, 码 means code or number. A QR code is literally a two-dimensional barcode, contrasted with the older one-dimensional stripe barcodes.
二 — two horizontal strokes 一 + 一
二 is an indicative character showing the number two with two simple horizontal lines, parallel to 一 (one) and 三 (three). The form has been stable since oracle bone script. It directly represents the concept of 'two' rather than depicting any physical object.
码 — stone radical 石 + 马 (mǎ, horse, phonetic)
码 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The stone radical 石 hints at the original meaning: a small stone or weight used for counting or measuring. 马 supplies the sound mǎ. Over time the meaning broadened to 'numeral, code, yard (unit),' as in 号码 (number) and 密码 (password).