The Chinese characters 言 meaning is words or speak.

“In a multitude of words,” the Chinese saying goes, “there will certainly be a mistake.” This is evident from the Chinese character for words itself: 言. In the picture, his mouth 口 speaks its lines , transforming sound waves into words.

The background of this Chinese poetry: Cao Cao is the emperor of Wei State in three Kingdoms period of China’s history. He has two sons, the elder son is called Cao Pi; the young son is called Cao Zhi. Cao Pi became the emperor of Wei State after Cao Cao died. He was afraid the younger brother will fight for his throne; he wanted to kill Cao Zhi. One day, Cao Pi ordered Cao Zhi make a poem within seven steps. If he cannot write out a poem after walking 7 steps, he will be put to death. Cao Zhi knew his older brother wanted to kill him. He was sad and also angry, made a poem within seven steps at last.

This poem likened beanstalk and beans to brother (he and Cao Pi). Burn the stem of beans to boil beans; elder brother kills younger brother. This metaphor is very appropriate.

Please watch the Flash above and appreciate this Chinese poetry. The following is the English translation of this Chinese poetry:

The Seven-Step Poem
People burn the beanstalk to boil beans,
The beans in the pot cry out.
We are born of the selfsame root,
Why should you torment me so much?

The following is the original Chinese text:

七步诗

煮豆燃豆萁，

豆在釜中泣。

本是同根生，

相煎何太急?

The Chinese characters 口 meaning is mouth or opening.

The Chinese character for mouth was originally a pictogram of an open mouth broadening into a smile and eventually stiffening and contracting to a square: 口. 口 also means an opening. Wise old sayings always caution one about those with a big mouth.

The Chinese characters 看 meaning is watch or see.

In this ideogram man raised his hand 手 above his eye 目 to cut off the sun’s rays, in order to see clearly. From this experience he also saw clearly the point of the Chinese proverb: “You cannot cut off the sunlight with one hand.”

The Chinese characters 见 meaning is see.

For the verb “to see” the eye 目 was set atop man 人. As the eye grew, man shrank to produce the regular form 見 now simplified Chinese character 见.

The Chinese characters 目 meaning is eye.

In its primitive form the eye was pictured naturally with eyelids and pupil. We can see the development course of this Chinese character from the picture. It would seem that even with his very own eyes man could not see eye to eye.

The Chinese characters 他 meaning is he or she.

The Chinese character 他 is drawn from 人 (person) and 也 (also). By extension it means “that person also” and refers to the other person: he or she.

The Chinese characters 也 meaning is also or in addition to.

Originally the Chinese character 也 was a representation of an ancient drinking horn, shaped like a funnel. In addition to his rightful belongings, man also appropriated this drinking vessel. To this day it has remained in his possession - a pictograph specially borrowed for the conjunction “also”, joining man to his drinking horn.

The Chinese characters 你 meaning is you.

The classical Chinese character for “you”, by adding 人 (person) to 尔, man introduced the human element and came up with 你 — a person who carries the same weight: you.

The Chinese characters 我 meaning is I or me.

The earnest forms show two spears against each other in direct confrontation, presumably symbolizing two rights being asserted and, by extension, my right, that is, me. A later transcription projected a new Image: 我, a pictograph of a hand: 手 grasping a spear 戈; , denoting that when man wields in his hand a spear his ego, the big “I”, emerges.