“This is bigger than you or me.” -Humphrey Bogart
Today’s character is:
胜 sheng4
Let’s break it down!
On the left is the image of the crescent moon 月 yue4. Yue is also the image of a side of ribs. It means moon, body, meat: The moon is a luminous body. 月in this character is a semantic element. 月 here is the goddess of the moon, 嫦娥.
On the right is the image of a sprouting plant. 生 sheng1 which is the phonetic element in this character. Phonetic elements and semantic elements are mutually reinforcing! The characters were NOT arbitrarily chosen: they were selected by scribes with a view to the picture, the sound, and the meaning. All three elements are meant to be mutually reinforcing, so there is a purpose to careful scrutiny in deciphering Chinese characters.
生 is the image of the seed which has been planted and is now is sprouting: Thus, 生 means birth. 生 also means life. 生 also means growth.
We see 生 here by moonlight: or beside the human body.
胜 is the victory of a woman giving birth. It is victory which has emerged after careful planning, planting, and patience.
胜 ! Sieg sheng de sheng! 申胜的胜! Fourth tone sheng!
Athena sprang forth fully formed from the brain of Zeus clad in armor crying VICTORY!