Simplified
Phonosemantic compound. 門 represents the meaning and 𢇇 represents the sound. The simplified character 关 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 關. The traditional component 門 was removed for simplification.
Components
Character Evolution
Component uses
Sources
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
Original meaning: order
Pictograph of a rope neatly wrapped around a weapon handle. Based on the original meaning "orderly". The meaning later shifted to "next in sequence" (now written as 第) and "younger brother".
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | dejX | lˤəjʔ | younger brother |
說文解字
《說文》:“弟,韋束之次弟也。从古字之象。,古文弟,从古文韋省,丿聲。”
Sources
- Character origin
- 季旭昇《說文新證》p.477-478漢語多功能字庫
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)
Pictograph of a small child with its two arms waving.
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | tsiX | [ts]əʔ | 1st earthly branch |
| tsiX | tsəʔ | child; gentleman, master |
說文解字
《說文》:“子,十一月陽气動,萬物滋,人以為偁。象形。,古文子,从巛,象髮也。,籀文子,囟有髮,臂、脛在几上也。”
Sources
- Character origin
- 徐中舒《甲骨文字典》p.1571漢語多功能字庫
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)
Traditional
Components
Character Evolution
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | kwaen | [k]ˤro[n] | barrier |
| kwaen | [k]ˤro[n] | 關關 kwaen.kwaen [bird’s cry] | |
| kwaen | kˤro[n] | 間關 sound of a chariot's linchpin (Ode 218.1) |
說文解字
《說文》:“關,以木橫持門戶也。从門,聲。”
Sources
- Character origin
- 漢語多功能字庫
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)
Traditional
Original meaning: outer door
Pictograph of a gate.
Character Evolution
Component uses
Historical Pronunciations
| Middle Chinese | Old Chinese | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter-Sagart | mwon | mˤə[r] | gate, door |
說文解字
《說文》:“門,聞也。从二戶,象形。”
Sources
- Readings & variants
- Unicode
- Historical pronunciations
- Baxter-Sagart
- Historical images
- Academia Sinica
- Etymology
- Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)