Definitions

jiàn tendon; sinew

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "腱" is structured with the semantic component "月", a variant of the flesh radical, on the left, classifying it under body parts, and the phonetic component "建" on the right. Its etymology consistently points to the anatomical sense of tendons, the fibrous tissues connecting muscles to bones, as seen in historical texts. The character's meaning has remained specifically tied to this physical referent, with no notable semantic expansion or alteration over time.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern