函

圅
hán
丷 + 了 + 八 + 凵
HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

hán (noun) envelope; letter; case; container
hán (verb) to contain; to hold

Etymology

Pictograph of an arrow inside a quiver. Based on the original meaning "quiver, arrow case". The meaning later shifted to "case", "box", "envelop" and "letter".

About

函 is a pictograph of an arrow inside a quiver, originally meaning "quiver" or "arrow case". The outer enclosure represents the container, and the inner element the arrow stored within. The meaning broadened to any case, box, or the act of enveloping. Because important messages were sealed in protective cases, 函 came to denote a letter or official correspondence; this sense persists in 函数 (function), where it conveys correspondence between variables.

Example Sentences Hide

我收到一封信函。

Wǒ shōu dào yī fēng xìn hán.

I received a letter.

他寄出了一封公函。

Tā jì chū le yī fēng gōng hán.

He sent out an official letter.

公司需要回复这封函。

Gōngsī xūyào huífù zhè fēng hán.

The company needs to reply to this letter.

我们通过函授学习课程。

Wǒmen tōngguò hánshòu xuéxí kèchéng.

We study courses through correspondence.

图书馆里有许多历史函件。

Túshūguǎn lǐ yǒu xǔduō lìshǐ hánjiàn.

There are many historical documents in the library.

请将申请函发送至办公室。

Qǐng jiāng shēnqǐng hán fāsòng zhì bàngōngshì.

Please send the application letter to the office.

由于时间紧迫，我们必须尽快处理这些公函。

Yóuyú shíjiān jǐnpò, wǒmen bìxū jǐnkuài chǔlǐ zhèxiē gōng hán.

Due to time constraints, we must handle these official letters as soon as possible.

外交部就此事向大使馆发出了正式照会函。

Wàijiāo bù jiù cǐ shì xiàng dàshǐguǎn fāchū le zhèngshì zhàohuì hán.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a formal note to the embassy regarding this matter.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

涵 菡

Component: 丷

关 并 产 立 平 金 单 商 曾 半 帝 率 兰 弟

Component: 了

疗 辽 亨 亟 钌 釕

Component: 八

分 其 只 公 共 办 具 兵 火 八 六 兴 黄 父

Component: 凵

出 击 画 凶 凿 凼 凵 屮 畵

Example Words

函数 邀请函 来函 信函 函授 函谷关 函馆 致函 偶函数 公函 函件 回函 泛函