解码汉字50 “南”指的是“南勺”（司南），甲骨文指的船行方向。 50 "South" refers to the "South Spoon" (Sinan), Oracle refers to the direction of the ship.

50  “南”指的是“南勺”（司南），甲骨文指的船行方向。

南   甲骨文象船行方向之形。篆书象指南针南指之形。《说文》注：“草木至南方，有枝任也。”许慎说：南指南方。草木到了南方，叶子茂盛，枝干茁壮。南是方位词，指地球之南极或南部。中国指南针发明于战国时代，在殷商时代还没有指南针，指的是船向南方行驶。人类最早的磁体定向装置，是以天然条状磁石制成的司南，它出现后在中国战国末期(前三世纪)。

南 (名) south

《百度百科》资料：司南是最早的磁性指向器。“司南”之称，始于战国（公元前475年—公元前221年），终止于唐代（公元618年—公元907年）。因为司南古义不断演化，使它与一系列的古代发明结下了不解之缘。

记载司南的最早的文献是《鬼谷子》，其中写道：“郑人之取玉也，必载司南之车，为其不惑也。”(谋篇)从《鬼谷子》中的记载可以看出，郑人去“取玉”，必须要带上司南，就是为了避免方向的迷失。
在提到司南的文献中，王充的记述是最重要的，他明确指出：“司南之杓，投之于地，其柢指南。”(是应篇)其中的“杓”是指勺子。具备这种“指南”性能的司南，应是磁性指向器。但是，这里的“地”是指古代械盘中的“地盘”。械盘是秦汉时期发明的，用于游戏或占卜。在“地盘”的四周刻有24个方位，中心刻有象征北斗七星的标志。中国现代著名的科技史家和文物复制专家王振铎曾依据这些记载成功地复原了汉代的司南。
磁体定向装置的出现，就使人从靠观察天体定向的被动性转向靠地磁定向的主动性。人类最早的磁体定向装置，是以天然条状磁石制成的司南，它出现后在中国战国末期(前三世纪)而在汉代得到进一步的发展。司南仪的出现具有重要历史意义，因为它是以与天文定向原理截然不同的磁学原理制成的新型导向装置，在任何天气条件下都能昼夜工作，迅速指出方向，操作简便易于携带。


50 "South" refers to the "South Spoon" (Sinan), Oracle refers to the direction of the ship.

South of the bone as the direction of the boat shape. Seal like a compass south of the shape. "Said the text" Note: "vegetation to the south, there are any branches." Xu Shen said: South guide south. Vegetation to the south, lush foliage, strong branches. South is the position word, refers to the earth's south or south. Chinese compass was invented in the Warring States period, in the Shang Dynasty has no compass, refers to the ship to the south. The earliest magnet directional device, is made of natural strip magnets Sinan, it appeared in the late Warring States Period (the third century).
South


"Baidu Encyclopedia" information: Secretary of the South is the first magnetic director. "Sinan," said, began in the Warring States (BC 475 - 221 BC), terminating in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 907 AD). Because Sinan ancient evolution, it and a series of ancient inventions forged a bond.

Recorded the first document is Sinan "Guiguzi", which wrote: "Zheng people from the jade also, will carry the Secretary of the South car, for its perplexity." (Mou articles) from the "Guiguzi" records can be seen, Zheng people to "take jade" must be brought to the Secretary South, is to avoid the loss of direction.
In his reference to Sinan's literature, Wang Chong's account is the most important, and he made it clear that "the dipper" is a guide to the land. With this "guide" performance of the Secretary South, should be a magnetic director. However, here the "land" refers to the ancient plate in the "site." Discs are invented during the Qin and Han Dynasties, for the game or divination. In the "site" surrounded by 24 directions, the center engraved with the symbol of the Big Dipper. China's well-known modern science and technology historian and cultural relics expert Wang Zhenduo based on these records have successfully restored the Han dynasty Sinan.

Magnet orientation device, the people from the observation of the celestial body by the passive orientation of geomagnetic orientation by the initiative. The earliest magnet orientation device, is made of natural strip magnets of Sinan, it appears in the late Warring States Period (the third century) and in the Han Dynasty to further development. The appearance of the instrument is of great historical significance because it is a new type of guiding device made of magnetism which is distinct from the principle of astronomical orientation. It can work day and night in any weather condition, and can point out the direction quickly and easy to carry.