耜 Stroke Order

耜 (sì) 1. A component at the lower end of a plow used for turning the soil. It was originally made of wood and later changed to metal. "耜, like a cutting tool, similar to a broken tooth." (from "释名•释用器") 2. In ancient agricultural tools, it is the main part of the leisi (耒耜), resembling a spade. - The character is formed with a phonetic component; it derives from "耒" (lěi), which means "a tool for turning soil." 3. The phrase "民无悬耜，野无奥草" (from "国语·周语中") can be interpreted as "Without the hanging spade, there are no weeds in the fields." The commentary by 韦昭 notes: "When it enters the soil, it is called 耜; the handle is called 耒." 4. Derived meaning: to use the spade to shovel the soil (English: spade). - Example references: - "周礼·薙氏": "The tì氏 is in charge of cutting grass... When winter comes, it uses the spade." - Other historical texts reinforce its use in ancient farming.