懂中文 Dong Chinese

省

shěng, xǐng

save

Original meaning: 

eye disease

Phonosemantic compound. 目 represents the meaning and 生 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "eye disease", now written as 眚. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
生 sound component

生  Sound component

shēng

  

life

The original sound component 生 was corrupted to look like 少 in the modern form.

目 meaning component

目  Meaning component

mù

  

eye

Evolution

省 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
省 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
省 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
省 Clerical script Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical script

Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
省 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

省  

shěng

province; save, economize; to save; to economize; to do without; to omit; to leave out; (archaic) central government department

省  

xǐng

to inspect; to examine; to be aware; to pay a visit (to one's parents or elders)

Most common words with 省
Freq.
Word
Meaning

省

to save

全省

the whole province

节省

saving

反省

to reflect upon oneself

不省人事

unconscious