敛

斂

liǎn, liàn

佥 + 攵

Definitions

liǎn (literary) to hold back; (literary) to restrain; to control (oneself); to collect; to gather; Taiwan pr. [liàn]

liàn variant of 殮|殓[liàn]

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 攵 represents the meaning and 佥 represents the sound. Simplified form of 斂.

Semantic: 攵 Phonetic: 佥

About

敛 is a phonosemantic compound: the right-side component 攵, depicting a hand holding a tool and indicating action or force, provides the meaning, while the left-side component 佥 (simplified from 僉) gives the sound. The traditional form 斂 retains the full phonetic 僉. The character's original meaning is gathering or collecting things, such as taxes or crops. By extension, it refers to restraining oneself, holding back one's temper or controlling one's outward expressions and actions.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

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 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)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请收敛一点。

Qǐng shōuliǎn yīdiǎn.

Please restrain a bit.

他收敛了嚣张的气焰。

Tā shōuliǎn le xiāozhāng de qìyàn.

He restrained his arrogant demeanor.

公司需要敛财以渡难关。

Gōngsī xūyào liǎncái yǐ dù nánguān.

The company needs to accumulate wealth to overcome difficulties.

她努力敛起悲伤的情绪。

Tā nǔlì liǎn qǐ bēishāng de qíngxù.

She tried hard to hold back her sad emotions.

在公众场合，他总能收敛自己的个性。

Zài gōngzhòng chǎnghé, tā zǒng néng shōuliǎn zìjǐ de gèxìng.

In public places, he can always restrain his personality.

为了团队和谐，他决定敛藏自己的意见。

Wèile tuánduì héxié, tā juédìng liǎncáng zìjǐ de yìjiàn.

For the sake of team harmony, he decided to withhold his opinion.

经过多次劝告，他终于敛起了以往的傲慢。

Jīngguò duōcì quàngào, tā zhōngyú liǎn qǐ le yǐwǎng de àomàn.

After many admonitions, he finally restrained his previous arrogance.

尽管内心充满不满，他仍然在外表上敛住了所有情绪。

Jǐnguǎn nèixīn chōngmǎn bùmǎn, tā réngrán zài wàibiǎo shàng liǎn zhù le suǒyǒu qíngxù.

Although filled with dissatisfaction inwardly, he still restrained all emotions on the surface.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 佥

Component: 攵

Example Words