Definitions
hair; sunlight
Etymology
Pictograph of strands of hair.
About
The character 彡 (shān) serves as both an independent character and a basic radical, known as the three dots or bristle radical. Its structure is iconic, composed of three parallel, slightly curved strokes descending in a cascade. Originally, these strokes depicted animal hair, bristles, or fine bird plumage, rooting the character's early meaning in natural textures. Over time, its semantic range expanded from literal hair to encompass broader concepts of ornamentation, decoration, and embellishment. As a component in compound characters, it often conveys meanings related to patterns, flowing hair, shadows, or aesthetic adornment, reflecting a shift from depicting fur to suggesting visual texture and artistry.
Etymology Hide
