The reconstruction of the word shao (少) in Old Chinese Phonology

Abstract

This study attempts to reconstruct the word shao 少 in Old Chinese phonology. Preceding studies have considered the reconstruction of shao to be a controversial issue. It is argued that shao has Xie Sheng connections with miao 杪 and xiao 小, and as illustrated in the Shuo Wen Jie Zi, some scholars have reconstructed the voiceless nasal [m̥] or consonant cluster [^hm]; however, other scholars have rejected the Shuo Wen analysis. Moreover, excavated documents and Min dialects indicate that there is no phonetic relationship between them. In this study, we use excavated documents and Mǐn dialects. The word shao is reconstructed as *st-.