丹

dān

Definitions

dān (noun,adjective) red; cinnabar

dān (noun) pellet; pill

Etymology

Depicts a chunk of cinnabar found in a well for mining.

About

丹 depicts a chunk of cinnabar (a bright red mercury sulfide mineral) inside a mining well, with the central dot or stroke representing the mineral itself. Highly valued in ancient Chinese alchemy for elixirs of immortality and ground into a vivid red pigment, the character's primary meaning came to be "cinnabar" or pellet-like medicines, and later expanded to denote the color red or crimson.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

丹顶鹤是一种美丽的鸟。

Dān dǐng hè shì yī zhǒng měilì de niǎo.

The red-crowned crane is a beautiful bird.

这片丹霞地貌色彩斑斓。

Zhè piàn dānxiá dìmào sècǎi bānlán.

This Danxia landform is colorful and spectacular.

练习气功时要意守丹田。

Liànxí qìgōng shí yào yì shǒu dāntián.

When practicing Qigong, one should focus the mind on the lower abdomen.

他对祖国怀有一片赤诚的丹心。

Tā duì zǔguó huái yǒu yīpiàn chìchéng de dānxīn.

He holds a sincere and loyal heart towards his motherland.

古代方士常常炼制药丹。

Gǔdài fāngshì chángcháng liànzhì yàodān.

Ancient alchemists often prepared medicinal pellets.

这幅画用丹青描绘了山水。

Zhè fú huà yòng dānqīng miáohuìle shānshuǐ.

This painting uses traditional pigments to depict mountains and rivers.

丹砂在古代曾用作颜料和药物。

Dānshā zài gǔdài céng yòng zuò yánliào hé yàowù.

Cinnabar was used as a pigment and medicine in ancient times.

考古学家分析了丹药的化学成分。

Kǎogǔ xuéjiā fēnxīle dānyào de huàxué chéngfèn.

Archaeologists analyzed the chemical composition of the alchemical pellet.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丹

Example Words