宽

寬

kuān

宀 + 苋

HSK 2.0Level 5

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

kuān (adjective) wide; broad

kuān (adjective) relaxed; lenient

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 宀 represents the meaning and 苋 represents the sound. Simplified form of 寬.

Semantic: 宀 Phonetic: 苋

About

宽 is the simplified form of 寬, a phonosemantic compound where 宀 (mián, "roof") suggests the meaning and 苋 (composed of 艹 and 见) indicates the pronunciation. The traditional character used the phonetic 萈 (huán), a depiction of a horned animal or owl, beneath the roof radical. Its original sense of a spacious dwelling extended to physical breadth and then metaphorically to a lenient, broad-minded, and forgiving temperament.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这条走廊很宽。

Zhè tiáo zǒuláng hěn kuān.

This corridor is very wide.

他的心胸非常宽广。

Tā de xīnxiōng fēicháng kuānguǎng.

His mind is very broad and tolerant.

政府放宽了入境政策。

Zhèngfǔ fàngkuān le rùjìng zhèngcè.

The government has relaxed the entry policy.

请把图片宽度调整一下。

Qǐng bǎ túpiàn kuāndù tiáozhěng yīxià.

Please adjust the width of the picture.

宽容是一种高尚的美德。

Kuānróng shì yī zhǒng gāoshàng de měidé.

Tolerance is a noble virtue.

这条河在入海口变得宽阔。

Zhè tiáo hé zài rùhǎikǒu biàn de kuānkuò.

This river becomes wide at its estuary.

新修的马路宽敞又平坦。

Xīn xiū de mǎlù kuānchang yòu píngtǎn.

The newly built road is spacious and flat.

他以宽宏的视角看待问题。

Tā yǐ kuānhóng de shìjiǎo kàndài wèntí.

He views problems from a broad and generous perspective.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 宀

宽