Definitions
(adjective)
sweet; pleasant
(adjective)
willing
Etymology
Pictograph of something sweet inside the mouth (口).
About
The character "甘" originated as a pictograph representing a mouth with a sweet substance inside, directly indicating its initial meaning of sweetness or a pleasant taste. Its modern structure, composed of a horizontal line within the mouth radical "口", continues to reflect this original pictographic idea. The meaning of "甘" later extended from the concrete sense of taste to more abstract notions, such as willingness in contexts like "甘愿" and general contentment or satisfaction, demonstrating a conceptual shift from physical sensation to mental state.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这水果很甘甜。
我喜欢甘甜的泉水。
他甘心帮助别人。
她甘愿付出所有时间。
他甘于平凡的生活。
甘蔗汁的味道非常甘美。
只有甘心努力，才能获得成功。
他甘于清贫，却从不放弃理想。