一切經音義 82.98

82.98

Widowers and widows (the upper character is pronounced with the fanqie 古頒 [k- + -an = kan]. The Liji says: "Old and without a wife is called a widower." The Guoyu says: "When marrying and taking wives is delayed past the due season, it is called widowerhood." The Shiming says: "Distressed and anxious, unable to sleep, eyes wide like a fish; hence the character is composed of 魚 [fish], for a fish's eyes never close, and 𥄳, pronounced 談合 [d- + -ap = dap]. The Shuowen jiezi says: "Eyes turned against each other; it also conveys the sense of being solitary; an ideogrammic compound." The lower character is pronounced with the fanqie 古瓦 [k- + -wa = kwa]. The Mao Commentary to the Shijing says: "Losing one's partner is called widowhood." The Liji says: "Old and without a husband is called a widow." The Guangya says: "寡 means solitary, weak." The Shuowen jiezi says: "Few; composed of 宀 with 頒 below; 頒 means to distribute, hence it means few").