The Shell Bone Script of character Single is
The lower part shows a hand, and the up-right part shows a bird. A hand catching a bird represents the character Single, or One.
The Bronze Script of character Single is
The top part shows a bird, and the lower right part shows a hand.
The Small Seal Script of character Single is
The top part means a small bird, and the bottom part shows a hand.
The Clerical Script of character Single is
The top 隹 is bird, the bottom X is hand.
In the traditional song typeface is:
The bottom part "又" means hand.
During the simplification of Chinese characters, "隻" was merged into another simplified song typeface
The traditional song typeface "隻" was abolished.
Now let's look at the character Double.
There is no Shell Bone Script or Bronze Script for character Double. The earliest form is in Bit Seal Script:
The top part shows two birds ("隹"), representing two birds. The bottom part shows a hand. A hand holding two birds represents the character Double, or Pair.
The Small Seal Script of character Double is
Two "隹" with one hand.
The Clerical Script of character Double is
The bottom part "又" means hand.
The Simplified Song Typeface
This simplification is quite unusual, not retaining the two "隹" at the top but changing the bottom "又" to two "又" characters. Perhaps two "隹" were still too many strokes, whereas two "又" have fewer strokes. Of course, two hands also represent the meaning of "double."
Now let's look at the character Gather.
The Shell Bone Script of character Gather is
The top part shows a flying bird, and the bottom part shows a tree. Here, the tree means "tree." Birds flying towards the tree (meaning many birds flying towards the tree) represent the character Gather.
The Bronze Script of character Gather is
Three birds standing on a tree: to gather, or assemble, or collect.
The Big Seal Script of character Gather is
One bird ("隹") standing on a tree. Why one bird? It is simplified drawing. If drawing three birds, the space is two small, and difficult to draw.
The Small Seal Script of character Gather is
Still one bird and one tree.
The Clerical Script of character Gather is
One bird ("隹") and one tree.
Only the Bronze Script of "集" uses three "隹," while the other scripts use just one "隹." However, this is mainly for ease of writing (three "隹" take up too much space), but the meaning remains the same: many birds gathering on a tree. These three characters are all related to "隹," meaning small birds. One "隹" is 隻 (single), two "隹" are 雙 (double), and three "隹" are 集 (gather). These are all associative compounds, representing the number of birds to express single, double, and gather. This is a very ingenious way of expression, reflecting the wisdom of ancient Chinese people.
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