%0 Journal Article %T A study on character forms and sentence samples of yu () in oracle bone inscriptions %A Kim Eun-hee %A Kim Hyeok %J Journal of Chinese Writing Systems %@ 2513-8510 %D 2019 %R 10.1177/2513850218814408 %X This study aims to classify the character forms of yu () found in jiagubuci (׹Dz) and, based on character form classification, to examine sentence examples () and usages of yu () in oracle bone inscriptions. Of the diverse character forms of yu () extracted from Yinxu Jiagu Keci Leizuan (׹ǿ̴), the basic form is +࡯, a combined form of the phonetic sign wu () and semantic sign jie (). With findings from original structural semantics for the oracle bone yu () and the usage of Buci (), we argue that the original meaning of yu () is a religious ritual performed to prevent and eliminate disasters or yuji (). By categorizing graphical components, jiaguwen (׹) yu () can be classified into the following elements: A (+࡯), B (+Ů), C (++ʾ), D (++࡯), E (+++ֹ), F (+С), G (++붡), H (++С), I (M+붡), and J (M++㡯). A variety of character types for yu () in oracle bone inscriptions appear in diverse forms in accordance with leizu () and are used in different ways with different character types according to buci (). Around 98% of the character types in selected character forms in oracle bone inscriptions fall into Type A (+࡯), used to convey three meanings: religious ritual, to defend, and to take care of some kind of task. Of the Type A examples, over 95% mean religious ritual. In contrast, Type B and Type C (++ʾ) have a single meaning of religious ritual. From Type D through Type H, yu () has an added meaning of a sign of movement (), whereas Type I and Type J characters mean to defend (), according to buci () %K Oracle bone inscriptions %K yu () %K original structural semantics %K buci () %K sentence samples () %U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2513850218814408