歲

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sqʰʷads, *sqʰʷad): semantic 步 + phonetic 戉 (OC *ɢʷad) to indicate the passing of time as "movement". Hence, the original version was close to 𢧁. In addition to 戉, various components such as 月 (“moon; month”) used to be present, sometimes as simple as two dots.

The current form derives from the Qin-style handwriting of the late Warring States (with a full-width 止 on the top and a bottom-left 撇 stroke extending outward as in 戊 or 戌 instead of bending inward as in 戉), which was also inherited by the clerical script.

A derivative of 越 (OC *ɢʷad, “to pass over”) (Mei, 1979, 1992). Ultimately probably from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ɢʷrat (“to travel; to go through”); compare Tibetan སྐྱོད (skyod, “to go”) (Mei, 1979, 1992; Gong Hwang-cherng, 2002; STEDT).

The functions of the *s- prefix and the *-s suffix are not clear. Possible explanations include:

* *s- as a directive prefix and *-s as a nominalizer (Mei, 1992);

* *s- is an iterative prefix, literally "to pass on again" (Schuessler, 2007);

* *s- (possibly with *-s) as a nominalizer (Smith, 2012).

Alternatively, it may be derived from a word like 圓 (OC *ɢon, “round; circle”) (< Proto-Sino-Tibetan *wal (“round; circular”)), literally "to start the circle/cycle again" (Schuessler, 2007).

Outside of Sino-Tibetan, this word has been compared to Thai ขวบ (kùuap, “year”), which Bodman (1980) considers to be a loan from Chinese, as well as Proto-Austronesian *kawaS (“year; season; sky”) (Sagart, 2005).

Also see Schuessler (2007) and Smith (2012) for a discussion on the semantic development of this word, especially the connection between "Jupiter" and "year".