从二分到混同：汉语“吃”“喝”语义场演变的历史动因

From Dichotomy to Syncretism: The Historical Motivations for the Semantic Field Evolution of Chinese “Chī” and “Hē”

摘要: 本文系统考察了“吃”“喝”语义场的主导词从先秦的“食/饮”二分，到魏晋“喫”的出现与介入，再到金元“喝”的语义扩张，直至明清“吃/喫/喝”混用的历史脉络，结合文献材料与方言语音信息，指出了现代官话区及普通话中“吃”“喝”混用的成因包括“食”的语义负担减轻、口语化文体的推动、食物类型界限模糊以及语言接触影响。研究为汉语饮食类动词演变规律与方言混同现象的原因提供了历时的研究视角与有力的证据依据。

Abstract: This paper systematically examines the evolutionary path of the dominant lexemes within the semantic field of “eating/drinking” in Chinese, tracing the trajectory from the strict dichotomy of shí / yǐn in the Pre-Qin period, through the emergence and intrusion of chī (喫) in the Wei-Jin period, to the semantic expansion of hē (喝) during the Jin-Yuan period, and culminating in the syncretic usage of chī/qiè/hē (吃/喫/喝) during the Ming-Qing period. By integrating philological materials with dialectal phonological data, this study identifies the contributing factors to the syncretism of chī and hē in modern dialects, including the semantic load reduction of shí, the impetus of colloquial literary styles, the blurring of food-type boundaries, and the influence of language contact. This research offers a diachronic perspective and robust evidentiary support for understanding the evolution of Chinese dietary verbs and the causes of dialectal syncretism.