百科事典
ひゃっかじてん · hyakkajiten · JLPT N2 · noun
encyclopedia
📚 百科 (hyakka) = all subjects; 事典 (jiten) = dictionary: a dictionary of all subjects
百 means 'hundred' and 科 means 'branch of learning', so 百科 covers every field. 事典 is 'dictionary'. Together: a dictionary of all fields of knowledge.
百 — 一 (one) on top of 白 (white)
百 means 'hundred.' It combines 一 (one) above 白 (white), where 白 here is borrowed for its sound rather than its meaning. Some scholars see it as derived from an early form of 白 with an added stroke to mark the new numerical sense.
科 — grain 禾 + measure 斗
科 combines 禾 (grain) and 斗 (a dipper/measure), originally depicting the act of measuring or grading grain. From this, it extended to mean classification, category, and branch of study. Today it commonly appears in words for science (科学) and academic disciplines.
事 — hand 又 holding a banner/tablet on a pole
Originally a pictograph of a hand (又) grasping a pole or ceremonial banner used by an official, depicting the act of conducting court business. From this it came to mean 'affair, matter, business, service.' It shares an ancient origin with 史 (scribe) and 吏 (official).