谏

諫

jiàn

柬 + 讠

Definitions

jiàn surname Jian

jiàn to remonstrate; to admonish

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 柬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 諫.

Semantic: 讠 Phonetic: 柬

About

谏 (traditional: 諫) is a phono-semantic compound combining the speech radical 讠 (言) with the phonetic component 柬. The radical links the character to verbal communication, while 柬, meaning "to select or sort", also suggests the careful choice of words involved. The character denotes admonishing or remonstrating with a superior, particularly a monarch or high official, about a mistake or flawed policy. It refers to formal, corrective speech in which a subordinate respectfully but firmly points out errors and urges a change of course, a practice regarded as a vital moral duty for officials in classical bureaucratic systems.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他经常向领导进谏。

Tā jīngcháng xiàng lǐngdǎo jìnjiàn.

He often advises his leader.

大臣们勇于谏言。

Dàchénmen yǒng yú jiànyán.

The ministers are courageous in offering admonitions.

他谏阻了错误的决定。

Tā jiànzǔ le cuòwù de juédìng.

He dissuaded from the wrong decision.

因为他的谏言，公司避免了损失。

Yīnwèi tā de jiànyán, gōngsī bìmiǎn le sǔnshī.

Because of his admonition, the company avoided losses.

每当有重要决策时，他都会提出谏言。

Měi dāng yǒu zhòngyào juécè shí, tā dōu huì tíchū jiànyán.

Whenever there is an important decision, he will put forward advice.

虽然他的谏言很直接，但领导还是接受了。

Suīrán tā de jiànyán hěn zhíjiē, dàn lǐngdǎo háishì jiēshòu le.

Although his advice was very direct, the leader still accepted it.

在历史中，忠臣往往因直谏而获罪。

Zài lìshǐ zhōng, zhōngchén wǎngwǎng yīn zhíjiàn ér huòzuì.

In history, loyal ministers often incurred blame due to frank admonition.

鉴于以往的经验，他这次谏劝时采用了更策略的方式。

Jiànyú yǐwǎng de jīngyàn, tā zhè cì jiànquàn shí cǎiyòng le gèng cèlüè de fāngshì.

In light of past experience, he adopted a more strategic approach when remonstrating this time.

Related Characters

Component: 柬

Component: 讠

谏