Definitions

guān keeper of domestic animals; herdsman; (old) hired hand in certain trade

Etymology phono-semantic

person

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is a phono-semantic compound character: it combines the semantic radical (rén, 'person') with the phonetic component (guān, 'official'). The radical indicates a human role, so the character denotes a person who tends domestic animals, a herdsman, such as a swineherd or cowherd. In historical usage, it also referred to employees in teahouses, taverns, and brothels. The phonetic contributes the pronunciation but, unlike the independent word for 'official,' does not carry any governmental authority; here it simply designates laborers responsible for livestock or service work.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 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)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern