kěn​cí

decline politely

kěn sincere Simplified

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

Components

Meaning component
xīn, xin heart
Sound component
gěn, gèn, hén blunt

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

words Simplified

Simplified form of . Alludes to a governance (𤔔) dispute related to criminal law (). Based on the original meaning "litigation". The meaning later shifted to "words".

Components

Simplified component
shé tongue

Shorthand for the 𤔔 component in the traditional character .

Meaning component
xīn laborious

Character Evolution

Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Sources

Character origin
李学勤《字源》p.1277
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical images
Academia Sinica

kěn sincere Traditional

Components

Sound component
kūn, mào, kěn to root
Meaning component
xīn, xin heart

heart

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld Chinese
Zhengzhangkʰɯːnʔ
Unicodekə̌n

說文解字

悃也。从心豤聲。

Sources

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

words Traditional

Original meaning: litigation

Alludes to a governance (𤔔) dispute related to criminal law (). Based on the original meaning "litigation". The meaning later shifted to "words".

Components

𤔔
𤔔 Meaning component
luàn (untangle threads), to govern
Meaning component
xīn laborious

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Mid Western Zhou ~900 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Western Zhou ~800 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Spring and Autumn 771-476 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn ~700 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Seal form
Seal Qin 221-206 BC
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
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartzisə.lə words

說文解字

《說文》:“辭,訟也。从,猶理辜也。,理也。,籀文辭从司。”

Sources

Character origin
李学勤《字源》p.1277
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica