About
The character 酣 (hān) is a phono-semantic compound. Its left component, the semantic radical 酉 (yǒu), depicts an ancient wine vessel and relates to alcohol or fermentation. The right component, the phonetic 甘 (gān), means "sweet" and indicates the pronunciation. The radical 酉 directly grounds the character's original meaning: a state of pleasant intoxication, or thoroughly enjoying drink without complete drunkenness. From this literal sense of merry drinking, its meaning extended to describe any experience lived fully and intensely, to one's heart's content. This is seen in modern terms like "酣睡" (hānshuì), meaning a deep, satisfying sleep, showing how the idea of indulgence translated into profound emotional or physical fulfillment.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
小宝宝在酣睡。
他们酣饮到深夜。
比赛进行得十分酣畅。
战士们正在酣战。
他酣睡了一整个下午。
欢聚之后，大家酣饮畅谈。
这场篮球赛双方酣战至加时赛。
尽管外面下着大雨，他仍酣然入睡。