冠

guàn, guān

㝴 + 冖

Definitions

guān (noun) crown; hat; cap

guàn (verb) to crown; to top; to be first

Etymology

Pictograph of a person (元) wearing a hat (冃). 元 also represents the sound. The 寸 (hand) component was added later to possibly indicate the hat is being held and put onto the head.

About

The character 冠 originally depicted a hand (寸) placing a hat onto a person's head. The top component 冃 is a pictograph of a hat, and 元 represents a person (and also hints at the pronunciation). In its earliest stages, 冠 consisted of just 冃 over 元, showing a person wearing a hat; the hand 寸 was added later to emphasize the act of capping or crowning. It now has two readings: guān, a noun for hat, crown, or crest, and guàn, a verb for putting on headgear, which by extension means winning first place or a championship.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他赢得了冠军。

Tā yíngdé le guànjūn.

He won the championship.

这顶皇冠非常珍贵。

Zhè dǐng huángguān fēicháng zhēnguì.

This crown is very precious.

冠心病是一种常见病。

Guānxīn bìng shì yī zhǒng chángjiàn bìng.

Coronary heart disease is a common disease.

她在比赛中获得了冠军。

Tā zài bǐsài zhōng huòdé le guànjūn.

She obtained the championship in the competition.

那个冠军队员表现得很好。

Nàge guànjūn duìyuán biǎoxiàn de hěn hǎo.

That champion team member performed very well.

他因冠心病住院了。

Tā yīn guānxīn bìng zhùyuàn le.

He was hospitalized due to coronary heart disease.

冠军的荣誉属于整个团队。

Guànjūn de róngyù shǔyú zhěnggè tuánduì.

The honor of the championship belongs to the entire team.

在历史上，冠冕象征着权力。

Zài lìshǐ shàng, guānmiǎn xiàngzhēngzhe quánlì.

In history, crowns symbolize power.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 㝴

Example Words