Definitions

huán noose; to hang; to tie, to bind

Etymology phono-semantic

thread

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 缳 (traditional form 繯) is a phono-semantic compound meaning a noose or silken cord, and by extension, the act of binding or execution by hanging. Its semantic radical 纟(糸, "silk") on the left indicates the cord's material, while the phonetic component 睘 on the right provides the pronunciation "huán". Historically used in legal texts, execution accounts, and drama to describe strangulation or looping bindings, its specialized and macabre sense has limited broader metaphorical or everyday use.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern