The Calligrapher — Liǔ Gōngquán 柳公权

Tang regular-script master famed for 'bones' of strength; rival to Yan Zhenqing.

Tang calligrapher (778–865), master of regular script — Tang master of bone-strength regular script, paired forever with Yan Zhenqing as 'Yan sinew, Liu bone'. Tang dynasty

Cultural Story

吱 is onomatopoeic, the mouth radical 口 with 支 (a phonetic), imitating the creak of a hinge or the squeak of a mouse. Classical writing favored 吱 for small sounds of wood and creatures rather than human speech. A swinging gate 吱 in a courtyard, a field mouse 吱 in the wall—these tiny noises fill the quiet of old households, where wood, rope, and weather spoke in their own voices to those who listened.

Common words & phrases

• 吱吱 squeaking · creaking
• 吱声 make a sound · utter a word
• 咯吱 creak

Read the story behind the character

A rusty bicycle 吱吱 (squeaks) as a boy rides to school, and floorboards go 咯吱 (creak) when someone tiptoes in. Asked if he broke the vase, the boy won't 吱声 (make a sound/utter a word). Old chairs 咯吱 at the office, and a mouse 吱吱 behind the fridge. The character captures the small, telling sounds of modern rooms—the creaks and squeaks that give away a secret or a need for oil.