覃

qín, tán

早 + 覀

Definitions

qín surname Qin

tán surname Tan

tán deep

Etymology

Depicts a jug (𣆪) filled with salt (鹵), now written as 鹽. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

覃 originally depicted a jug (𣆪) filled with salt (鹵), the early form of 鹽. Over time, the script simplified into the modern components 西 and 早, obscuring the original imagery. The character was borrowed phonetically to write a word meaning "deep", "profound", or "extending broadly", used mainly in classical and formal literary contexts. Today it most commonly serves as a Chinese surname, with distinct pronunciations depending on region and family lineage.