About
The character 阑, whose traditional form is 闌, structurally combines the semantic element 門, meaning "gate", with the phonetic component 柬, which historically guided its pronunciation. Etymologically, it originally denoted a physical barrier such as a door bolt or crossbar, directly linking its form to the function of securing an entrance. From this concrete sense of an obstruction or boundary, its meaning gradually extended into more abstract domains, coming to signify the concept of an end or lateness, particularly in temporal contexts, as exemplified in literary compounds like 夜阑, which evokes the advanced hours of the night. This transition from indicating a spatial limit to describing a temporal one demonstrates the character's adaptive semantic journey while maintaining its fundamental association with demarcation.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
医生切除了他的阑尾。
他因为阑尾炎住院了。
阑尾手术通常很简单。
夜色阑珊，我们回家了。
夜阑人静时，他还在工作。
灯火阑珊处，她默默等待。
在夜阑星稀的晚上，他独自散步。
兴趣阑珊的他，对任何事都提不起精神。