迟缓
chí​huǎn

slow

迟 chí late Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 尺 represents the sound. Simplified form of 遲.

Components

辶
辶 Meaning component
chuò walk

辶 is a component form of 辵.

尺
尺 Sound component
chǐ traditional Chinese unit of length ~ 1 foot

Sources

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

缓 huǎn slow Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 爰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 緩.

Components

纟
纟 Meaning component
mì silk

纟 is a component form of 糸.

爰
爰 Sound component
yuán pull, draw, lead on

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

遲 chí late Traditional

Components

辶
辶 Meaning component
chuò walk

walk

犀
犀 Sound component
xī rhinoceros

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Warring States ~400 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 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
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Three Kingdoms (Cao Wei) 222-280 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartdrijl<r>ə[j] slow

說文解字

徐行也。从辵犀聲。《詩》曰：“行道遲遲。”

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)

緩 huǎn slow Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 糹 represents the meaning and 爰 represents the sound.

Components

糹
糹 Meaning component
mì silk

糹 is a component form of 糸.

爰
爰 Sound component
yuán pull, draw, lead on

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 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
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagarthwanX[ɢ]ʷˤa[n]ʔslack; slow
Zhengzhangɢʷaːnʔ
Unicodehuɑ̌n

Sources

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