竿

gān

干 + 竹

Definitions

gān (noun) pole; rod; staff

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 干 represents the sound.

Semantic: ⺮ Phonetic: 干

About

竿 (gān) is a phonosemantic compound meaning a pole, rod, or long stick, typically of natural materials. The upper radical ⺮ (竹, bamboo) points to the original material, while the lower component 干 (gān) provides the sound, and, as it once meant 'shield' or 'main stem', may also hint at a straight, supportive form. Though today the character refers to poles for fishing, measuring, or construction regardless of material, the bamboo radical preserves the historical origin.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这根竹竿很长。

Zhè gēn zhúgān hěn cháng.

This bamboo pole is very long.

他用钓竿钓鱼。

Tā yòng diàogān diàoyú.

He uses a fishing rod to fish.

工人搬来了几根竿子。

Gōngrén bān lái le jǐ gēn gānzi.

The workers brought over several poles.

他把竹竿靠在墙边。

Tā bǎ zhúgān kào zài qiáng biān.

He leaned the bamboo pole against the wall.

旗竿上飘扬着国旗。

Qígān shàng piāoyáng zhe guóqí.

The national flag is fluttering on the flagpole.

钓竿的质量影响钓鱼效果。

Diàogān de zhìliàng yǐngxiǎng diàoyú xiàoguǒ.

The quality of the fishing rod affects fishing efficiency.

我们需要一根足够长的竿子来测量深度。

Wǒmen xūyào yī gēn zúgòu cháng de gānzi lái cèliáng shēndù.

We need a pole long enough to measure the depth.

在户外运动中，碳纤维钓竿越来越受欢迎。

Zài hùwài yùndòng zhōng, tàn xiānwéi diàogān yuè lái yuè shòu huānyíng.

In outdoor sports, carbon fiber fishing rods are becoming more and more popular.

Related Characters

Component: 干

Component: 竹

竿