Abstract：The word “yanshang (厌上)” in Tao Hongjing’s Zhoushi Mingtongji (《周氏冥通记》) of the Southern Liang Dynasty is very confusing. Through investigation, it can be found that “yanshang” refers to “turtle belly shell above”. “Yanshang” has been accurately interpreted, but the issue of Chinese vocabulary history related to it has not been fully resolved. On this basis, the article further examines the origin and extended changes of the meaning of “jiagai (甲盖)” in “yan (厌)”, its complex word forms in literature, and the pragmatic characteristics reflected through word relationships. The following conclusions are drawn:Firstly, the meaning of “jiagai” in “yan” is a new meaning that emerged in Middle Chinese. This meaning first appeared in Yang Fu’s Jiaozhou Yiwu zhi during the Eastern Han Dynasty. It was used from the Six Dynasties to the Tang Dynasty and further developed during the Song Dynasty. Before the Song Dynasty, “yan” was generally only used to refer to “the lid of the snail”. Although Tao Hongjing’s annotations mentioned the use of referring to turtle belly shell, it was not inherited. Starting from the Song Dynasty, the meaning of “yan” expanded to refer to “the underside of a crab”, “scab”, and “fish scale” that have similar appearance and function, and the frequency of use also increased. At the same time, the emerging differentiation of characters for “yan” began to emerge, and in the process of using characters, the meanings gradually corresponded with each other, moving towards precision.Secondly, the meaning and usage of “jiagai” in “yan” are mainly used in spoken language. Looking at the use cases of “yan” and related character shapes from ancient times to the present, it can be seen that there are not many related use cases, and they mainly appear in popular reading materials such as foreign object chronicles, Taoist books, medical books, and poetry. There are no use cases found in materials with strong writing and more elegant language. On the other hand, the diverse changes in word form of this meaning also indicate that people are not familiar with its written form.Thirdly, it is still preserved in modern Chinese southern dialects and minority languages in the south, and the scope of its meaning has been expanded. The Modern Chinese Dialect Dictionary records that this usage is present in thirteen southern cities including Jixi, Nanning, Guangzhou, and Dongguan, and continues to be used in Zhuang and Yao languages.At the same time, the article refers to the development path of the meaning of “jiagai” in “yan” and provides a new explanation for the derivation of meanings for words such as “huiyan (会厌)”, “hanyan (颔厌)”, and “xinyangu (心厌骨)” in traditional Chinese medicine classics. The term “huiyan” refers to the cartilage tissue at the junction of the larynx and pharynx, named after its resemblance to a lid above the throat. The name of “hanyan” is an acupuncture located at the top of the forehead, which is pulled by the jawbone and is named after the lid that covers the jawbone; “xinyangu” refers to the sternum xiphoid process, named after its location that has the function of shielding the heart.The main innovation of the article lies in an integration of ten different writing forms of “yan”, which breaks down the obstacles brought by differences in word usage to vocabulary research, connecting ancient and modern times, examining the history of literature and studying modern Chinese dialects, and the original source of vocabulary in modern Chinese.
陆海燕, 王云路. “厌”之“甲盖”义发覆[J]. 浙江大学学报(人文社会科学版), 2025, 55(6): 96-104.
Lu Haiyan, Wang Yunlu. Meaning of “Jiagai (甲盖)” in “Yan (厌)” and Words Such as “Huiyan (会厌)” “Hanyan (颔厌)” and “Xinyangu (心厌骨)” in Traditional Chinese Medicine Classics. JOURNAL OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY, 2025, 55(6): 96-104.
2025, Vol. 55 
