耜
ancient spade-like tool; plowshare
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
ancient spade-shaped farm tool
Refers to a prehistoric or early Chinese digging implement used for turning soil, typically made of stone, bone, or wood, and later metal. Often found in archaeological contexts describing Neolithic farming equipment.
Archaeologists discovered stone spades from the Neolithic Age.
The si was an important soil-turning implement in ancient times.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
The Hemudu site unearthed numerous bone spades.
noun
plowshare-like blade on ancient plows
Refers specifically to the blade or share of an ancient plow (often paired with 耒 as 耒耜), which cuts into the soil. Distinguished from the handle (耒) and the modern plowshare (铧).
The plowshare is five inches wide, for the tilling of paired plows.
The leisi is the primitive form of the plow, in which the si serves to break the soil.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Zhou dynasty plowshares were mostly made of bronze or iron.