Definitions

chán dagger, dirk, short-sword

Etymology phono-semantic

metal

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character , known in its traditional form , is a phono-semantic compound composed of the metal radical (from ) on the left, indicating a metallic object, and the phonetic component on the right. It denotes the guard of a sword, the protective piece of metal between blade and handle, a term in metallurgy and martial arts. It also serves as a surname with a different pronunciation.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern