经典
jīngdiǎn · HSK 4
classics
📜 经 (scripture/classic) + 典 (canon/standard) = classic canon
经 originally meant the warp threads of a loom, then came to mean foundational texts (sutras, classics). 典 depicts a book on a stand — a standard reference work. Together: works that set the standard.
经 — silk radical 纟 + 巠 (underground stream)
Originally written 經, combining the silk radical 糸 with 巠, depicting vertical threads on a loom. The core meaning was 'warp threads,' which extended to 'pass through,' 'classic text,' and 'manage.' The phonetic 巠 also suggests the sound.