Definitions

jiǎn (adjective) frugal; thrifty

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character for frugality, "俭", derives from its traditional form "儉", which is structurally composed of the human radical "人" and the component "僉", the latter historically associated with notions of collectivity and perhaps by extension the shared responsibility of prudent resource management. Etymologically, the character has always conveyed the idea of restraint and moderation, particularly in the context of personal consumption and societal expenditure. While its graphic form has seen some simplification, the core meaning has persisted without substantial alteration, consistently representing the virtue of economical living in both classical literature and everyday discourse. Over time, its application has broadened slightly from strictly material thrift to encompass a general principle of simplicity and avoidance of excess, yet it remains firmly anchored in its original ethical foundation.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他生活非常节

Tā shēnghuó fēicháng jiéjiǎn.

He lives very frugally.

妈妈教导我们要勤节约。

Māma jiàodǎo wǒmen yào qínjiǎn jiéyuē.

Mom teaches us to be diligent and thrifty.

是一种传统美德。

Qínjiǎn shì yī zhǒng chuántǒng měidé.

Diligence and thrift are traditional virtues.

公司提倡省办公以节约成本。

Gōngsī tíchàng jiǎnshěng bàngōng yǐ jiéyuē chéngběn.

The company advocates frugal office operations to save costs.

他的朴作风给我们留下了深刻印象。

Tā de jiǎnpǔ zuòfēng gěi wǒmen liú xiàle shēnkè yìnxiàng.

His simple and frugal style left a deep impression on us.

在资源日益紧张的时代,节更显重要。

Zài zīyuán rìyì jǐnzhāng de shídài, jiéjiǎn gèng xiǎn zhòngyào.

In an era of increasingly tight resources, frugality becomes even more important.

这种约的生活方式其实蕴含着大智慧。

Zhè zhǒng jiǎnyuē de shēnghuó fāngshì qíshí yùn hán zhe dà zhìhuì.

This kind of frugal lifestyle actually contains great wisdom.

奢靡之风不可长,素之心当永存。

Shēmí zhī fēng bùkě zhǎng, jiǎnsù zhī xīn dāng yǒng cún.

The trend of extravagance should not be encouraged, while the heart of frugality should endure forever.