Definitions

huán noose; to hang; to tie, to bind

Etymology phono-semantic

thread

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

(traditional ) is a phono-semantic compound meaning noose, silken cord, or the act of binding and hanging. The silk radical (full form ) on the left indicates the cord's material, while the phonetic on the right supplies the pronunciation huán. Historically it appears in legal texts, execution records, and drama for strangulation or binding with a loop, and its narrow, macabre sense has prevented 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