xiǎn

visible, bright

Depicts threads of silk (𢇁) visible underneath the sun (). 𢇁 also represents the sound.

Components

Iconic component
sun
𢇁
𢇁 SoundIconic component
guān run threads through a web

Depicts two twisted threads of silk.

Change in sound

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Warring States 475-221 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Warring States ~250 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Component uses

Sound (2 of 3 verified)

Meaning (1)

Historical Pronunciations

說文解字

《說文》:“,眾微杪也。从日中視絲,古文以為顯字。或曰眾口皃。讀若唫唫。或以為繭。繭者,絮中往往有小繭也。”

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical images
Academia Sinica