方

The Chinese character 方 (fāng) is composed of two parts: the radical 旁 (páng), which means "side" or "direction", and the phonetic component 方 (fāng), which is a pictograph of a square. The original meaning of 方 was "square", and it was later extended to mean "direction", "region", "method", and "way".The character 方 is first seen in oracle bone script, the earliest form of Chinese writing. In oracle bone script, 方 is depicted as a square with a dot in the center. The dot represents the center of the square, and the square represents the four directions.In seal script, the next stage of Chinese writing, 方 is depicted as a square with a cross in the center. The cross represents the four directions, and the square represents the earth.In clerical script, the third stage of Chinese writing, 方 is depicted as a square with a line in the center. The line represents the horizon, and the square represents the earth.In modern Chinese, 方 is written as a square with a dot in the center. The dot represents the center of the square, and the square represents the four directions.The character 方 has a rich history and a variety of meanings. It is a versatile character that can be used in a variety of contexts.