Definitions

gān (noun) pole; rod
gǎn (noun) stick; lever

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "杆" derives from a phono-semantic construction where the wood radical "木" denotes its material category and "干" provides phonetic guidance, pointing to an initial sense of a wooden pole or staff. Its traditional counterpart "桿" employs a distinct phonetic element while maintaining the same semantic foundation, both characters historically representing elongated, rigid objects. Through time, the semantic scope of "杆" broadened to include various poles, rods, and levers, adapting to technological contexts like firearm barrels or measurement tools, yet its structural integrity with the "木" component has enduringly signaled its original connection to wood.

Example Sentences Hide

他把旗插在土里。

Tā bǎ qígān chā zài tǔ lǐ.

He planted the flagpole in the soil.

被漆成了白色。

Lángān bèi qī chéng le báisè.

The railing was painted white.

他用杠撬动了石头。

Tā yòng gànggǎn qiàodòng le shítou.

He used a lever to move the stone.

钓竿的子非常结实。

Diàogān de gǎnzi fēicháng jiēshi.

The rod of the fishing pole is very sturdy.

电线上贴满了广告。

Diànxiàngān shàng tiē mǎn le guǎnggào.

The utility pole is covered with advertisements.

他用笔轻轻敲着桌子。

Tā yòng bǐgǎn qīngqīng qiāo zhe zhuōzi.

He tapped the table lightly with the pen holder.

这个实验需要用到光

Zhège shíyàn xūyào yòng dào guānggǎn.

This experiment requires the use of a bare rod.

秤是古代常用的衡量工具。

Gǎnchèng shì gǔdài chángyòng de héngliáng gōngjù.

The steelyard is a weighing tool commonly used in ancient times.