【析形】形声字。古文字形从竹,间声。 【释义】《说文》:“牒也。”本义是用来书写文字的一种狭长的竹片。在纸发明以前,书籍的载体主要是竹简和缣帛,因为帛贵重难得,所以古代最常见的还是竹简书籍。简的制作方法是先将竹子按规定长短截成竹筒,再把竹筒析成竹条。其后,把竹条在火上烘干,以防止朽坏、虫蛀,称之为杀青。此过程又称之为汗简、汗青。制作好的竹简分青、黄两面,书写多在黄面,是为正面;青面即简背有时也写字,或是篇题,或是补抄的脱文。简用于书写文字,故引申泛指书籍,[汗简]、[汗青]也可表示书籍。文天祥《过零丁洋》:“人生自古谁无死,留取丹心照汗青。” 【shape analysis】It is the pictophonetic character. In ancient character the meaning is related to 竹(zhú,bamboo). It sounds like 间(jiān). 【original meaning】 A kind of long and slim bamboo chips for writing on. The main forms of books was bamboo slips and silk before paper was invented.