“右文说”概述

所谓“右文说”，就是白北宋王圣美明确提出的对形声字中声符的分析法。此前学术界一般认为，形声字声符的功能仅仅是标音，而示义的功能则白义符承担。王圣美则认为在形声字中，声符本身兼有表示一定的意义，并进而得出同声符之字意义相通。

Summary of Youwen Theory

Of the six categories of Chinese characters, phonogram is the most effective way to create characters. In Xu Shen＇s Shuowen Jiezi phonogram characters have accounted for 82.3% of the total and in modem times the percentage is over 90%. A phonogram character consists of the meaning part and pronunciation part. Since the meaning part is often on the left while the pronunciation part is on the right, there forms the Youwen theory, first proposed by Wang Shengmei in North Song Dynasty. Previously most scholars believed that the only function of the pronunciation part is to denote the sound while the expressing of the meaning is through the meaning part. In Wang＇s view, the pronunciation part in phonogram characters also express some meaning. The conclusion is that the characters with the same pronunciation part has the some linkage in meaning.