Seal script

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (August 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Seal script
Script type	Logographic
Time period	c. 700 BC – c. 200 AD
Direction	Top-to-bottom
Languages	Old Chinese
Related scripts
Parent systems	Oracle bone script Seal script
Child systems	Clerical script Regular script
This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

Seal script
"Seal script" in regular script (left) and seal script (right).
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	篆書
Simplified Chinese	篆书
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin zhuànshū Bopomofo ㄓㄨㄢˋ ㄕㄨ Wade–Giles chuan4-shu1 Tongyong Pinyin jhuàn-shu IPA [ʈʂwân.ʂú] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization syuhnsyū Jyutping syun6 syu1 IPA [syn˨.sy˥]
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	triện thư chữ triện
Hán-Nôm	篆書 𡨸篆

Chinese characters
Chinese family of scripts Written Chinese Kanji Hanja Chữ Hán
Evolution of script styles Neolithic symbols in China Oracle bone Bronze Seal Large Small Bird-worm Clerical Cursive Semi-cursive Regular Flat brush Modern typefaces Fangsong Ming Hei
Properties and classification Components Strokes order Radicals Orthography jiu zixing xin zixing Digital encoding
Collation and standards Kangxi Dictionary forms (1716) Commonly Used Characters (PRC, 2013) Commonly-Used Characters (Hong Kong, 2007) Nan Min Recommended Characters (Taiwan, 2009) Standard Form of National Characters (Taiwan, 1982) Jōyō kanji (Japan, 2010)
Reforms Simplified characters second round Traditional characters debate Japanese script reform kyūjitai
Homographs and readings Literary and colloquial readings Kanbun Idu
Variants Zetian characters
Derived systems Kana man'yōgana hiragana katakana Jurchen script Khitan large small Nüshu Bopomofo Slavonic transcription
Transliteration of Chinese
v t e

Seal script or sigillary script is a style of writing Chinese characters that was common throughout the latter half of the 1st millennium BC. It evolved organically out of bronze script during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC). The variant of seal script used in the state of Qin eventually became comparatively standardized, and was adopted as the formal script across all of China during the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC). It was still widely used for decorative engraving and seals during the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD).^[1][2][3]

The literal translation of "seal script" (篆書 zhuànshū) is 'decorative engraving script'—this name was coined during the Han dynasty,^{[citation needed]} and reflects the role of the script being reduced to ceremonial inscriptions.