Learn one Chinese Character a day - "七"

Today, let us examine Chinese character "七". As what we have mentioned in our last topic for "刀", it means Seven. The question is why Chinese ancestors used "七" to mean Seven.

As usual, let us check "七" evolution history first (image get from http://www.vividict.com ): 

Evolution History of "七"

Before our explanation, you need to have the knowledge of "Yin and Yang" concept: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang

Six - "六" is considered the most Yin number. Why? "六" is created to contain the meaning of re-produce and multiply as well, like female - Yin.

After Six - "六", Yin is reducing, however nothing can be suddenly totally reversed, there is a progress. Then the following number of Six, which is Seven - "七", it can be represented by showing that progress.

"七" is created with "一", look at its Oracle script -, it is to mean that Yin is cutting through Yang ( "一" is a Yang number)  to appear.

When time passes,  becomes too similar to Chinese number Ten "十", at time of Bronze script, the vertical line was bended to be , to differentiate it from "十". And after bending, vertical line becomes , which looks like exactly a reaping hook.

As you can see that "七" contains the meaning of Cut, to differentiate the Cut with number Seven, Chinese ancestors added "刀" to "七" to mean Cut (with a knife) to create a new Chinese character - "切".

Now we know "七" means Seven.

Let us enjoy a Chinese calligraphy with "七" inside:

右十七帖一卷