古人
gǔrén · HSK 7
time
👴 古 = ancient + 人 = person; ancient people = forefathers
古 (gǔ) combines 十 (ten) over 口 (mouth) — stories passed through ten generations of mouths, hence 'ancient'. 人 (rén) means person. Together: people from ancient times, our forefathers.
古 — ten 十 + mouth 口
古 is traditionally analyzed as 十 (ten) over 口 (mouth), suggesting words passed down through ten generations — hence 'ancient' or 'old.' Some scholars view the top as a stylized helmet or skull shape in oracle bone forms. The core meaning of 'ancient, old, former times' has remained stable since early Chinese writing.
人 — pictograph of a standing person
人 is a pictograph showing a person viewed from the side, with two strokes representing the legs and torso of a standing human. In oracle bone script it clearly depicted a figure leaning slightly forward. The meaning has remained 'person' or 'human' throughout its history.