The Calligrapher — Dīng Dàohù 丁道护

Sui regular-script calligrapher of the Qifa Temple Stele, a precursor to Tang standard script.

Sui calligrapher (), master of regular script — known for 《启法寺碑》. Sui dynasty

Cultural Story

The shape was a basket with a stand, 其, a winnowing tray — later borrowed as the third-person particle. The Analects uses 其实, 'its truth', to cut through a rumour. The Odes set 其中 for 'within it'. The word did plain work long before grammar claimed it.

Common words & phrases

• 其中 among · within · in which · inside
• 其实 actually · in fact · as a matter of fact
• 其他 other · else · the rest · additional
• 其次 next · secondly · then · in the next place
• 极其 extremely · very · exceedingly
• 其间 in the meantime · among them · meanwhile

Read the story behind the character

A note says 其中 three are broken; a speaker says 其实 the price rose. The 其他 files wait in a tray. A list ranks this 其次, next. The storm was 极其 loud; 其间 the lights flickered and the cat hid. None of it needs translation, only a context.