About
菅 (jiān) is a phono-semantic compound: the top radical 艹 (cǎo) "grass" marks it as a plant, and the bottom component 官 (guān) "official" gives the sound. It names a tough, coarse wild grass once used to weave mats and thatch roofs. The character is best known from the idiom 草菅人命 (cǎojiān rénmìng), literally "grass and jiān human life", which equates treating human lives with utter disregard to viewing them as worthless as wild grass.
Etymology Hide
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.