阉

閹

yān

奄 + 门

Definitions

yān to castrate; a castrate; neuter

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 门 represents the meaning and 奄 represents the sound. Simplified form of 閹.

Semantic: 门 Phonetic: 奄

About

阉, the simplified form of 閹, is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 门 (door) encloses the phonetic 奄 (yǎn). Its original meaning was 'gatekeeper', those who guarded doors and served in royal palaces or noble estates. Because such servants were often castrated to prevent intimate relations with the women of the household, the character shifted from designating the occupation to denoting the act of castration. It subsequently became the standard noun for a eunuch, losing all associations with gates.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他们阉了那只公鸡。

Tāmen yānle nà zhǐ gōngjī.

They castrated that rooster.

为了控制繁殖，农场主阉割了母猪。

Wèile kòngzhì fánzhí, nóngchǎngzhǔ yāngēle mǔzhū.

To control reproduction, the farm owner castrated the sow.

在古代，阉人被用作太监。

Zài gǔdài, yānrén bèi yòng zuò tàijiàn.

In ancient times, eunuchs were used as palace servants.

阉割过程需要专业兽医操作。

Yāngē guòchéng xūyào zhuānyè shòuyī cāozuò.

The castration process requires operation by a professional veterinarian.

如果不阉割，这只公猫会到处标记领地。

Rúguǒ bù yāngē, zhè zhǐ gōng māo huì dàochù biāojì lǐngdì.

If not castrated, this male cat will mark its territory everywhere.

有些人反对阉割宠物，认为这不人道。

Yǒuxiē rén fǎnduì yāngē chǒngwù, rènwéi zhè bù réndào.

Some people oppose castrating pets, believing it is inhumane.

阉鸡的肉质更为柔嫩，因此更受欢迎。

Yān jī de ròu zhì gèng wéi róunèn, yīncǐ gèng shòu huānyíng.

The meat of castrated chickens is more tender, therefore more popular.

尽管阉割有诸多争议，但它仍是控制动物数量的有效方法。

Jǐnguǎn yāngē yǒu zhūduō zhēngyì, dàn tā réng shì kòngzhì dòngwù shùliàng de yǒuxiào fāngfǎ.

Although castration has many controversies, it is still an effective method to control animal population.

Related Characters

Component: 奄

Component: 门

阉