Zi:間

From Wenlin Dictionaries

(S​) [jiān] (​間) between/among; (​間) room; ​間 time [jiàn] 間​ gap, 間​ interval; 間​ spy; (HDZ:) … [gān] ​間​ [jiǎn] [xián] cf. ​

3 monosyllabic entries in The ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary (namespace Ci):

¹jiān To view this entry, please log in
¹⁶jiàn To view this entry, please log in
¹⁶gān To view this entry, please log in

    HDZ: 間 : jiàn : ​ (​, ​, ​) • jiān : ​ (​, ​); ​ (​, ​) • jiǎn : (​) ​; (​) ​間, ​間, ​間, ​
(Explanation from the entry for the simple form ​:) The simple-form character ​ jiān/jiàn ‘between/gap’ (7 strokes) is a simplification of the full-form character 間 (12 strokes), replacing the full-form component ​ mén ‘door’ (8 strokes) with its simple form ​ (3 strokes).
    The full-form character 間 jiān/jiàn ‘between/gap’ is an old variant of ​, replacing ​ yuè ‘moon’ with ​ rì ‘sun’; the form 間 (with ​) was created to specify certain meanings formerly wr. ​ jiàn ‘interval’ (​ jiàngé), vs. other usages of ​ jiàn/jiān ‘gap/between’ (​ zhōngjiān), but later usage often conflates the two forms (HDZ).
    Note: In the modern forms ​/間 the component is ​ rì ‘sun’, formerly wr. ​ yuè ‘moon’.
    The Shuōwén Seal form of ​(​􂃔) jiàn ‘gap/crack’ (between double doors) combines ​ (mén) ‘double doors’, and ​ (yuè) ‘crescent moon’; formerly wr. ​𨳿(​􂃕), with ​(​􁊢), in which ​(​􁊛) xī ‘sliver of crescent moon’ and ​(​􀣣) bǔ ‘crack’.
    Note: In the old SW form ​𨳿(​􂃕) the component is ​(​􁊢) wài ‘outside’ instead of ​ ‘moon’, but in ​ the left-side component is ​(​􁊛) xī ‘moon; evening’; cf. ​𠄨(​􂘞􂘝𢛢).
    Note: The old meaning of ​ jiàn ‘gap/crack’ relates to the ‘gap between two swinging door panels’, or the ‘gap between door and sill/wall’ (which allows the door to swing open, and through which a spy may peep); derived meanings: ‘crack in a wall; crack/gap/interval between; interval/between’; the ​ moon shining through a crack at night (in the ​ ‘dark’, when people are most vulnerable to spies), became ​ a ray of sunshine streaming through a crack (​ ‘light’).
    Compare: ​(​􂃔) jiàn ‘gap/crack’; ​/間 jiàn/jiān ‘gap/between’.
    Compare: ​/​(​􂃜) xián ‘door lattice/screen; free/idle time’, among full-form characters sometimes wr. ​.
   
►references: Karlgren:GSR191b; Hànyǔ Dà Zìdiǎn:7.4288.6; Mathews:835; Kāngxī Zìdiǎn:1333.01; EDOC:1
►components:
►Cantonese: gaan\
►stroke 間 (... strokes)   
►list characters containing 間 as a component
►list words containing 間 (most common words first)
Unicode: U+9593
►web links for ‘間’
search web for ‘間’: ►Google ►GT ►Baidu ►Bing ►Yahoo


The Wenlin Zidian (namespace Zi)
URL: https://wenlin.co/wow/Zi:%E9%96%93
Refresh this page