Definitions

hóng surname Hong
hóng big; gate

Etymology phono-semantic

gate

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 闳, with its traditional form 閎, is a phono-semantic compound. The outer semantic radical 门 signifies a gate or entrance, while the inner component 厷 provides the phonetic element. Originally, it denoted a large gate, particularly the main entrance to an alley or village. From this concrete architectural meaning, the sense broadened to encompass ideas of vastness, magnitude, and grandeur. As an adjective, 闳 describes something that is extensive in scope, macroscopic, or magnificent in scale, extending the concept of physical width to abstract expansiveness in space, knowledge, or ideas.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern