慨叹
kǎi​tàn

lament

慨 kǎi sigh

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 既 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嘅.

Components

忄
忄 Meaning component
xin, xīn heart

忄 is a component form of 心.

既
既 Sound component
jì already

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Three Kingdoms (Cao Wei) 222-280 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartkhojH[kʰ]ˤə[t]-sdisappointed
Zhengzhangkʰɯːds
Unicodekə̀i

說文解字

忼慨，壯士不得志也。从心旣聲。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-SagartZhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

叹 tàn sigh Simplified

Simplified form of 嘆. Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 𦰩 represents the sound.

Components

口
口 Meaning component
kǒu, kou mouth
又
又 Simplified component
yòu again

Shorthand for the 𦰩 component in the traditional character 嘆.

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Regular Modern

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical images
Academia Sinica

嘆 tàn sigh Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 𦰩 represents the sound.

Components

口
口 Meaning component
kǒu, kou mouth
𦰩
𦰩 SoundIconic component
jiān to sigh

Depicts a tortured person or criminal sighing.

Change in sound

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartthanHn̥ˤar-s sigh

說文解字

《說文》：“嘆，吞歎也。从口，歎省聲。一曰太息也。”

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)