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Strokes of genius 易
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CHAMELEONS, a distinctive clade of lizards, have the ability to change their skin color and pattern. In a straightforward way, we call them “变色龙biànsèlóng” (color changing dragons) in China. Thus it is not surprising that the oracle bone script of “易yì” for “change” is a pictograph of a chameleon hanging on the wall with tongue extruded and tail drooping.
The book name “易经Yìjīng” (The Classic of Changes), one of the oldest classic texts, is a typical example of “易yì” in that original meaning. Nowadays, however, “易yì” has been more widely used in the extended meanings such as “exchange:”
交易jiāoyì
Deal, transaction
贸易màoyì
Trading, commerce
Interestingly, there is another theory stating that the character “易yì” also describes liqueur running out of a glass. How difficult is it to pour the liqueur? Not difficult at all. So, that explains the logic behind another meaning of “易yì,” the most common one actually, as in “容易róngyì”(easy). For instance:
易拉罐yìlāguàn
Beverage can, pop top
易燃物 yìránwù
Combustibles
易碎品yìsuìpǐn
Fragile products
说起来容易，做起来难。Shuō qǐlai róngyì, zuò qǐlai nán.
Easier said than done.
Last but not least, “易yì” is also a surname, not that common, but quite famous, thanks to the top basketball player “易建联Yì Jiànlián” as well as the writer “易中天 Yì Zhōngtiān.”
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