About
The character "监" originates from the traditional form "監", which is composed of the component for "eye" placed above a component representing a "vessel" or "basin", depicting the act of looking down into a reflective surface such as a water-filled container used as a primitive mirror. This pictographic origin gave it the core meaning of "to observe" or "to mirror", which naturally extended into meanings involving supervision, oversight, and surveillance. Over time, the character's application shifted from the literal act of gazing into a reflection to the metaphorical and administrative sense of overseeing people or affairs, as seen in words for roles like a supervisor or institutions like a prison. The simplified form "监" retains the essential structural idea of the eye component over a modified base, preserving the conceptual link to vigilant observation while streamlining its graphical form.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个监狱有高墙。
超市里有很多监控摄像头。
老师监督学生做作业。
父母是孩子的监护人。
医生监测病人的心跳。
考试时，老师必须监考。
他是公司的技术总监。
这部电影由著名导演监制。