韩

韓

hán

韦 + 𠦝

Definitions

Hán (noun) Korea (especially South Korea)

Hán (noun) ancient state of Han (during Warring States period)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 韦 represents the meaning and 倝 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "fence surrounding a well". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

The traditional character 韓 is a phono-semantic compound: 倝 (gàn) on the left gives the sound, while 韋 (wéi) on the right gives the meaning, originally representing tanned leather or animal hides. Its earliest meaning was a wooden or leather fence enclosing an ancient well. After this original sense fell out of use, the character was employed purely as a phonetic loan for the ancient State of Han during the Warring States period. Today, it is widely used as a surname and as the standard name for South Korea and the Korean language. In the simplified form 韩, the left component is reduced to 龺 and the right to 韦.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我喜欢韩国菜。

Wǒ xǐhuān Hánguó cài.

I like Korean food.

韩元是韩国的货币。

Hányuán shì Hánguó de huòbì.

The won is South Korea's currency.

她学习韩语已经三年了。

Tā xuéxí Hányǔ yǐjīng sān nián le.

She has been studying Korean for three years.

韩国首尔是一个大城市。

Hánguó Shǒu'ěr shì yī gè dà chéngshì.

Seoul, South Korea is a big city.

这部韩剧很受欢迎。

Zhè bù Hánjù hěn shòu huānyíng.

This Korean drama is very popular.

我们去韩国旅行的时候吃了烤肉。

Wǒmen qù Hánguó lǚxíng de shíhou chīle kǎoròu.

When we traveled to South Korea, we ate barbecue.

韩国的传统文化包括韩服和泡菜。

Hánguó de chuántǒng wénhuà bāokuò hánfú hé pàocài.

South Korea's traditional culture includes hanbok and kimchi.

随着韩流的影响，越来越多的人对韩国文化感兴趣。

Suízhe Hánliú de yǐngxiǎng, yuè lái yuè duō de rén duì Hánguó wénhuà gǎn xìngqù.

With the influence of Hallyu, more and more people are interested in Korean culture.

Related Characters

Component: 韦

Component: 𠦝

韩