管

筦

guǎn

官 + 竹

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

guǎn (verb) to manage; to control; to be in charge of

guǎn (noun) pipe; tube

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 官 represents the sound. Originally a musical tube made of bamboo. The meaning "to manage" is a phonetic loan.

Semantic: ⺮ Phonetic: 官

About

管 is a phono-semantic compound: the bamboo radical ⺮ (竹) sits on top, signaling a bamboo-related object, while 官 (guān, "official") below gives the sound. Originally it referred to a bamboo musical tube, later extending to any hollow tube or pipe. The meaning "to manage, control, or govern" is a phonetic loan, unrelated to the sense of 官.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Clerical Wu (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他管图书馆。

Tā guǎn túshū guǎn.

He manages the library.

妈妈管我的作业。

Māma guǎn wǒ de zuòyè.

Mom supervises my homework.

这个水管需要修理。

Zhège shuǐguǎn xūyào xiūlǐ.

This water pipe needs repair.

不管天气如何，我们都去。

Bùguǎn tiānqì rúhé, wǒmen dōu qù.

No matter the weather, we will go.

公司管理很严格。

Gōngsī guǎnlǐ hěn yángé.

The company management is very strict.

你管好你自己的事。

Nǐ guǎn hǎo nǐ zìjǐ de shì.

You mind your own business.

政府应该管环境污染。

Zhèngfǔ yīnggāi guǎn huánjìng wūrǎn.

The government should manage environmental pollution.

他负责管理整个项目。

Tā fùzé guǎnlǐ zhěnggè xiàngmù.

He is responsible for managing the entire project.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 官

Component: 竹

管