【析形】金文字形上像笠,中像人面,下像蓑衣形。隶书字形定作衰,后增意符艸,变作从艸、衰声。“蓑”是“衰”的后起分化字。 【释义】《说文》:“衰,草雨衣也。”本义指蓑衣,用草或棕制成的、披在身上的防雨用具。《诗·无羊》:“何蓑何笠。”蓑衣分上、下两部分,上面的叫“蓑衣披”,颇像古代妇女穿的坎肩儿,圆圆的领口,前开襟,有细细的棕绳可供系牢;下面的叫“蓑衣裙”,很像现代女性穿的吊带裙,有两条棕绳供吊在肩上。[蓑翁]穿蓑衣的老人,指渔翁。 【shape analysis】In Bronze Inscriptions its upper part is like a rain hat, the middle section like a human face and the lower part like a rain cape. When it was transformed to Official script, the character was added a 艸(cǎo,grass) as an ideogram while the initial part 衰plays the role of phonetic sign. 【original meaning】 Rain cape made from grass or palm fiber for proofing against rain.