kuǎn​yàn

fete

kuǎn item, funds

Original meaning: desire to have something

Phonosemantic compound. represents the sound and represents the meaning. Based on the original meaning "desire to have something". The meaning later shifted to "funds" and "item".

Components

Sound component
nài crab-apple tree
Change in sound
Meaning component
qiàn, qian yawn, deficient
Change in meaning
hints at the original meaning of , "desire to have something", which is no longer the most common meaning of in modern Mandarin.

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (0 of 1 verified)

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld Chinese
Zhengzhangkʰloːnʔ
Unicodekuɑn

說文解字

《說文》:“,意有所欲也。从欠,祟欠省。歀,或从柰。”

Sources

Character origin
李学勤《字源》p.768
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica

yàn to entertain

Original meaning: peace and happiness

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "peace and happiness". The meaning later shifted to "banquet", "feast", and "to entertain".

Components

Meaning component
mián roof

Represents being peaceful at home.

Sound component
yàn safe

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagart'enHʔˤe[n]-s feast (n.)

說文解字

《說文》:“宴,安也。从宀,晏聲。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫李学勤《字源》p.657
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica