撰
composing, editing, compiling, selecting
Readings
On'yomi
- サン
- セン
Kun'yomi
- せん.する
- えら.む
- えら.ぶ
Meaning
撰 centers on carefully putting things together: selecting items for a collection, then composing, editing, or compiling them into a finished work.
Most common words using 撰
- 杜撰ずさんN1
careless; sloppy; faulty
- 撰せん
anthology (of poetry, etc.); compilation; collection; selection
- 勅撰ちょくせん
compilation for the emperor; emperor's literary production
- 修撰しゅうせん
editing; compiling
- 勅撰和歌集ちょくせんわかしゅう
poems collected at the behest of the Emperor (from 905 to 1439); Imperial collection of poetry
- 勅撰集ちょくせんしゅう
imperially commissioned poetry anthology
- 官撰かんせん
government compilation
- 撰するせんする
to write (prose, etc.)
- 撰修せんしゅう
writing (a book); compiling; editing
- 撰文せんぶん
writing (an epitaph, foreword, etc.); composition; epitaph; inscription
- 撰者せんじゃ
author; compiler; editor
- 撰述せんじゅつ
writing (a book)
- 撰進せんしん
compiling and presenting poems, texts, etc. to the emperor
- 撰録せんろく
compiling; editing; writing
- 新撰姓氏録しんせんしょうじろく
Shinsen Shouji Roku (Newly Compiled Record of Clan Names; 815 CE)
- 杜撰脱漏ずさんだつろう
careless (slipshod) and with many omissions
Study
Etymology
撰 combines 扌 (hand) with 巽, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of selecting or arranging. The exact historical development of 巽 in this character is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The hand 扌 beside 巽 suggests a hand carefully picking and arranging items. Picture a hand selecting the best pieces and compiling them into a neat stack.
Reading mnemonic
For サン, imagine the hand selecting pieces under the sun: sun -> サン, and the sunlight helps you see which pieces to choose for your compilation.