jiǎn​pǔ

simple

jiǎn simple Simplified

Original meaning: bamboo strips for writing

Simplified form of . Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and represents the sound. The character is based on the original meaning "bamboo strips for writing". The meaning later shifted to "letter", "concise", and "simple".

Components

Meaning component
zhú bamboo

⺮ is a component form of .

Sound component
jiān, jian, jiàn space

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode

surname Piao Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Components

Meaning component
tree
Sound component
bo fortune telling

Character Evolution

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

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangpʰroːɡ

說文解字

木皮也。从木卜聲。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica

jiǎn simple Traditional

Original meaning: bamboo strips for writing

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and represents the sound. The character is based on the original meaning "bamboo strips for writing". The meaning later shifted to "letter", "concise", and "simple".

Components

Meaning component
zhú bamboo

⺮ is a component form of .

Sound component
jiān, jian, jiàn space

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartkeanXkˤre[n]ʔ bamboo slip for writing
keanXkˤre[n]ʔ select, large-minded, etc.

說文解字

《說文》:“簡,牒也。从竹,間聲。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

simple Traditional

Components

Meaning component
tree

tree

Sound component
(beat against), tedious

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Three Kingdoms (Cao Wei) 222-280 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartphæwkpʰˤrokunworked wood
Zhengzhangbaː
pʰroːɡ
poːɡ
boːɡ
Unicodepak

說文解字

木素也。从木菐聲。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-SagartZhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica