all
惣 centers on the idea of encompassing everything: all, the whole, or totality. It is a less common character used for the concept of 'all' in certain contexts.
The exact historical development of 惣 is uncertain. It visually combines 物 (thing) over 心 (heart), but this is likely a later simplification or variant form rather than the original structure.
The top part 物 means 'thing', and the bottom 心 means 'heart'. Imagine all things gathered into one heart: 惣 means 'all'.
For ソウ, picture a soul that contains all things: soul -> ソウ, and the heart 心 holds everything.
small dish (served as a part of an ordinary household meal); side dish
rural local self-government (Muromachi period)
shrine enshrining several gods
streetwalker (Edo period)
1585 edict by Toyotomi Hideyoshi which banned war between feudal lords in Japan
(hist.) governor-general
dressed bread; bread to which something has been added (sandwich, pirogi, etc.); stuffed bread (rolls, buns, etc.)
shop selling prepared food
shop selling prepared food
sōryō system; organization of regional landholding families based on divided inheritance under the leadership of a main heir, usu. the eldest son (Kamakura period)