Definitions

juàn (bound form) one's family, esp. wife and children; (literary) to regard with love and affection; to feel concern for
juàn (literary) to regard with love and affection; to feel concern for (variant of 眷[juàn])

Etymology phono-semantic

eye

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 眷 (juàn) is a phono-semantic compound. Its lower radical, 目 (eye), connects the core meaning to the act of looking or gazing, while the upper component 龹 (quǎn) provides the phonetic element. Originally, the character described the affectionate action of looking back or gazing with care. This concept of a loving gaze later evolved into a noun referring to the people one cares for and looks after, specifically, one's family, relatives, or dependents. Thus, its primary use shifted from a verb describing a fond gaze to a noun denoting one's immediate kin.

Example Sentences Hide

他的家属都很健康。

Tā de jiāshǔ dōu hěn jiànkāng.

His family members are all very healthy.

我们十分恋故乡的山水。

Wǒmen shífēn juànliàn gùxiāng de shānshuǐ.

We deeply cherish the mountains and rivers of our hometown.

公司为员工家属提供了福利。

Gōngsī wèi yuángōng jiāshǔ tígōngle fúlì.

The company provides benefits for employees' family members.

这份顾之情,我将永远铭记在心。

Zhè fèn juàngù zhī qíng, wǒ jiāng yǒngyuǎn míngjì zài xīn.

This kindness and care, I will forever remember in my heart.

他对这片土地有着难以割舍的恋。

Tā duì zhè piàn tǔdì yǒuzhe nányǐ gēshě de juànliàn.

He has an attachment to this land that is hard to part with.

不忘的是童年时的美好回忆。

Tā juànjuàn bù wàng de shì tóngnián shí de měihǎo huíyì.

What she fondly remembers are the beautiful memories from her childhood.

这份深厚的注,给了他前进的勇气。

Zhè fèn shēnhòu de juànzhù, gěile tā qiánjìn de yǒngqì.

This profound concern and attention gave him the courage to move forward.

在异国他乡,他对亲人的念与日俱增。

Zài yìguó tāxiāng, tā duì qīnrén de juànniàn yǔ rì jù zēng.

In a foreign land, his longing for his family grows with each passing day.