“快”之疾速义何时产生——兼论新义产生的判断标准

Linguistic Research. 2025. No. 3. P. 76–85.

Qiang S.

The determination of new words and meanings is a key issue in lexical history studies. However,

common reliance on identifying “the earliest examples” can be challenged by textual complexity and subjective

disagreements. Focusing on the emergence of the FAST meaning of kuai (快), this study proposes criteria for

identifying new meanings from the perspective of the lexical system. It fi rst summarizes the syntactic and semantic

commonalities of speed-related words in the Wei-Jin and Northern-Southern Dynasties, such as their use as adverbial

modifiers for motion/action verbs, co-occurrence with temporal expressions, and formation of synonymous/

antonymous compounds. The study then validates these criteria through diachronic and synchronic analyses. The

fi ndings indicate that kuai (快) in the Wei-Jin period retained its original meaning and only began to denote FAST

in the Tang Dynasty. However, kuai (快) did not become the dominant term in the “SPEED” semantic fi eld until

the Ming-Qing period. The research reveals that the emergence of new meanings is constrained by combinatorial

and paradigmatic relations within the lexical system, with the shared features of speed-related words refl ecting the

inherent temporal attributes in both semantics and syntax. By adopting an “induction-verifi cation” approach, this

study establishes objective criteria, off ering methodological insights for research on semantic evolution.

Keywords: systematic, fast, new meanings, judgment criteria, kuai (快)