The Chinese word 伤口 (shāngkǒu), meaning “wound,” is a compound word where each character contributes to the overall meaning. Let’s delve into the original meanings of their writing structures:

伤 (shāng):

• Early form: Depicted a person with an injury or a weapon piercing the body.
• Original meaning: Injury, hurt, wound, to injure.
• Evolution: The visual representation of harm to the body clearly conveyed the concept of physical injury.

口 (kǒu):

• Early form: A simple pictograph of a mouth or opening.
• Original meaning: Mouth, opening, entrance.
• Evolution: While “mouth” remains the primary meaning, it also extended to represent any opening or break.

Combining these, 伤口 (shāngkǒu) originally depicted:

• An opening or break in the body caused by injury: The “injury” (伤) combined with “mouth/opening” (口) creates a vivid image of a wound, a physical breach in the body’s surface.

This combination effectively conveys the nature of a wound: damage that creates an opening or break in the skin or flesh.

It’s interesting to note that 口 (kǒu) is used in other words related to injuries or openings, such as 破口 (pòkǒu – breach) or 缺口 (quēkǒu – gap). This highlights how Chinese characters often combine to create more complex meanings based on their individual components.

To explore further, you could consult:

• 《說文解字》(Shuowen Jiezi): This ancient dictionary provides explanations of character structures and their original meanings.
• Medical texts and historical records: These resources could offer insights into how wounds were described and treated in ancient China, and how the word 伤口 evolved within that context.