Why is the rainbow next to the word "worm"?

Reason: In the eyes of the ancients, the rainbow was a very fantastic phenomenon that was difficult to understand, so they regarded the rainbow as some kind of strange living creature. Oracle bone inscriptions also record that "there was a rainbow coming from the north and drinking from the river" (verse 10405 of "Oracle Bone Inscriptions Collection"). When the ancients saw the end of the rainbow extending into the water, they thought that this monster could absorb water.

During the Warring States Period, people have realized that rainbows are related to rain. Rainbows are a natural phenomenon caused by rain refracting sunlight. However, the word "rainbow" created by Cong Yu was just a flash in the pan and did not continue to be passed down. From the structure of the sound of "worm" and "gong", there are two variants in later generations: "work" on the left and "worm" on the right, and "worm" on the top and "worm" on the bottom. The former is found in Mawangdui Silk Books and "Jiyun", and the latter is included in "Zhengzi" Books such as "Tong" are relatively rare.

Extended information

Hong: hóng, jiàng?

Interpretation:

hóng: a phenomenon of light in the atmosphere, in the sky The small water droplets are refracted and reflected by sunlight to form an arc-shaped ribbon, which appears in seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple from the outer ring to the inner ring. Appears in the direction opposite to the sun. Also called rainbow.

jiàng: The same meaning as "hong" (hóng), limited to single use.

Related words:

1. Changhong [cháng hóng]?

Meaning: refers to a long arched bridge.

2. Neon light [ní hóng dēng]?

Meaning: A lamp that uses gas discharge to emit light. A certain gas is filled into a long vacuum glass tube, and it emits colored light after being energized. The color varies with the gas being filled. For example, neon gas emits reddish-orange light, and a mixture of neon and mercury emits green light. Used in slogans, advertisements, signals, etc.

3. Iris [hóng mó]?

Meaning: The pigment-containing annular thin film at the front of the eyeball, composed of connective tissue cells, muscle fibers, etc., among which is the pupil. The color of the eyeball is determined by the amount of pigment contained in the iris.

4. Vice rainbow [fù hóng]?

Meaning: Ni.

5. Siphon phenomenon [hóng xī xiàn xiàng]?

Meaning: Relying on atmospheric pressure, a curved tube is used to guide liquid to a lower place through a place higher than the liquid level. The siphon phenomenon has many applications. For example, in Henan and Shandong areas of China, it is often used to divert water from the Yellow River across river banks to irrigate farmland.

6. Xiahong [xiá hóng]?

Meaning: clouds and sky.

7. Siphon [hóng xī]?

Meaning: To transport, suck out or empty something with a siphon or like a siphon.