| 释义 |
ginsengn. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Partly a borrowing from French. Etymons: Latin ginsem; French ginseng. Etymology: Partly (i) < post-classical Latin ginsem, ginseng (both uninflected: see note), and partly (ii) < French ginseng (see note), both < Chinese (Hokkien) jîn-sim and its Mandarin equivalent rénshēn (with a 17th-cent. pronunciation) < rén person (probably on account of the forked shape of the root, resembling the legs of a person and also the Chinese character for this word) + -shēn, denoting ginseng and related plants.Form history. The uninflected post-classical Latin form ginsem (1654 in the passage translated in quot. 1654) probably reflects either the Chinese word directly (as transcribed by the Italian author) or Portuguese jinsém , †ginsem (although this is first attested slightly later: 1657 as ginse ; probably directly < Chinese); compare the early English form ginsem and also the French forms †ginsem (1667 in a translation from Portuguese) and †gins (apparently showing reinterpretation of the letters -em as a Latin case ending; 1654 in a translation of the Latin passage also translated in quot. 1654 at sense 1a). French ginseng (1663 in the work reviewed in quot. 1666) and uninflected post-classical Latin ginseng (1674 in the work reviewed in quot. 1677 at sense 1b) apparently reflect a separate set of borrowings < the same Chinese word (which is cited as ginseng in a Latin context in 1668). Compare Italian ginseng (1671), Dutch ginseng (1670), and German Ginseng (1689 or earlier). Forms of this type may have arisen from misinterpretation of the final m of the Chinese word, since m was also used to write Chinese /ŋ/ in some early European texts (although not by Martini), probably reflecting Portuguese phonology. Forms with -ng in the first syllable (e.g. gengzeng, gingseng) show assimilation to the final consonant. In the β. forms probably influenced by forms of the word in other varieties of Chinese; perhaps compare (Cantonese) yàhn sām . The forms gniseng and guiseng apparently originated as typographical errors which were subsequently copied into other texts. Former synonym. In 17th-cent. English, the plant was also sometimes known as e.g. ninzin or nisi (1685; compare quot. 1692 at sense 1b), which ultimately reflects transmission of the same Chinese word via Japanese; these forms have parallels in other European languages in the 17th and 18th cent. 1. the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medical preparations of specific origin > medicine composed of a plant > [noun] > plant used in medicine > root > specific roots 1654 tr. M. Martini 9 The root cal'd Ginsem [L. Ginsem], so much esteemed amongst the Chineses. 1666 (Royal Soc.) 1 249 They prise highly the Root Ginseng, as an extraordinary Restorative and Cordiall. 1712 E. Harrold 3 Nov. (2008) 43 I took last dose of powder [of] saffron and ginson [and] turmerick. 1771 T. Smollett II. 81 I took some of the tincture of ginseng. 1788 M. Cutler Jrnl. 6 Aug. in W. P. Cutler & J. P. Cutler (1888) I. 402 Here we met a Packer with ten pack-horses, loaded principally with ginseng in barrels. 1819 J. Wilson 268 Three or four cups of Ginseng taken every day, for a week, would soon remove most of her complaints. 1861 C. P. Hodgson 32 Mushrooms, ginseng, gall-nuts and vermicelli are some of the articles which go to China. 1897 J. C. Willis II. 28 The root of the Aralia Ginseng..is the source of the famous Chinese medicine Ginseng. 1978 A. Maupin (1989) viii. 29 Hey, want some ginseng?..I'm brewing some upstairs. 1991 Jan. 8 (advt.) Not all ginsengs are so conveniently presented in one-a-day capsules or tablets. 2007 5 Nov. 8/3 Energy drinks..typically contain high levels of caffeine as well as stimulants such as taurine and ginseng. the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular medicinal plants or parts > non-British medicinal plants > [noun] > ginseng 1677 (Royal Soc.) 12 920 A representation of the famous Chinese Herb, called Guiseng [catchword p. 918 Gniseng; sic]. 1688 tr. G. Tachard (new ed.) vi. 269 Of all the Plants of the East the Ginseng is most esteemed. 1692 J. Ray (ed. 2) i. 195 The Cotton Trees..the Nisi, or Genseg [sic]; the Numerose Balsam, and Gum-trees. 1714 (Royal Soc.) 28 239 The Tartars often bring us the Leaves of Gin-seng instead of Tea. 1765 J. Brown 155 In Tartary's barren soil, grow the medicinal jingseng, and the vegetable lamb. 1812 J. Smyth ii. 82 Ginseng... The dried roots of this plant, as commonly imported, are about the thickness of the little finger. 1818 J. Bigelow II. 90 The American Ginseng is thinly scattered throughout the mountainous regions of the Northern and Middle States. 1836 J. F. Davis I. iv. 131 The wild plant ginseng, long a monopoly of the Emperor in the Manchow country, has been imported in large quantities by the American ships to Canton. 1883 Jan. 176 In the north the famous ‘jinseng’ (Panax quinquefolium) is found both wild and cultivated. 1926 10 20 Other plants observed near Utica were the Dwarf Ginseng, the American Fly Honeysuckle, [etc.]. 1979 69 611/2 Each Asian ginseng..has quinquefoliated leaves, scarlet berries, minute white flowers like a scallion, and an aromatic root. 2015 24 Aug. 24/3 Wild ginseng grows mostly in the Appalachian and Ozark regions. the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Araliaceae family or plants > [noun] the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular medicinal plants or parts > non-British medicinal plants > [noun] > other non-British medicinal plants or plant parts 1818 A. Eaton (ed. 2) 471 [Triosteum] perfoliatum (fever root, horse-ginseng...). 1895 15 Aug. 113/1 Most characteristic for all this region, and the greatest obstacle to inland exploration, execrated by hunter and prospector, is the false ginseng.., or ‘devil's club’. 1904 78 The nearest approach we have in California to Ginseng is Aralia californica, sometimes called Wild Ginseng. 1972 12 Oct. 68/1 Apricot nectar with Siberian ginseng will never sell. 1999 13 Oct. 20/1 A variety of other prosexual supplements are available for women, including extracts from Muira Puama, Pfaffia (also known as Brazilian ginseng or Suma), Siberian ginseng and Dong quai. 2003 9 Sept. 23/5 Siberian Ginseng and the Ayurvedic herb called Ashwaghanda (also known as Indian Ginseng), are effective and easy to use. These herbs restore balance and tone overstressed adrenal glands. Compounds1688 tr. G. Tachard v. 211 The Ginseng Root that is worth eight times its weight in Silver. 1758 77 I could never find any ginseng-root. 1758 L. Carter 17 Mar. (1965) I. 205 I..gave Agua Mirabilis 2 drachms with a large draft of Strong ginseng tea. 1807 I. D'Israeli 1st Ser. (ed. 5) I. 425 The ginseng tree, is noticed for the same appearance. 1888 (Weekly ed.) 6 Apr. 3/2 Ginseng gatherers who dwell..in this..land. 1891 8 Sept. 3/3 A ginseng farm is a peculiar-looking affair. 1894 21 Nov. 2/1 Amélie Rives is introducing Virginian ginseng-diggers to politely-scandalised New York society. 1941 ‘Gypsy Rose Lee’ iv. 67 ‘Ginseng root,’ he said in carefully spoken English. ‘Grows only under the gallows where men have died. You eat it. Live forever.’ 2003 Jan. 38/2 Eight college students were given either water or ginseng root extract immediately after a standard weight-training exercise session. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022). <  n.1654 |
