贪财
tān​cái

greedy

贪 tān greedy Simplified

Depicts a mouth (今) facing a shell (贝). In ancient China, shells were used as currency. 今 also represents the sound. Simplified form of 貪.

Components

贝
贝 Iconic component
bèi sea shell
今
今 SoundIconic component
jīn now

Sources

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

财 cái wealth Simplified

Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 才 represents the sound. Simplified form of 財.

Components

贝
贝 Meaning component
bèi sea shell

In ancient China, shells were used as currency.

才
才 Sound component
cái, cai talent

Sources

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

貪 tān greedy Traditional

Depicts a mouth (今) facing a shell (貝). In ancient China, shells were used as currency. 今 also represents the sound.

Components

貝
貝 Iconic component
bèi sea shell
今
今 SoundIconic component
jīn now

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartthomr̥ˤ[ə]m to covet

說文解字

《說文》：“貪，欲物也。从貝，今聲。”

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)

財 cái wealth Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 才 represents the sound.

Components

貝
貝 Meaning component
bèi sea shell

In ancient China, shells were used as currency.

才
才 Sound component
cái, cai talent

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 Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartdzoj[dz]ˤə wealth

說文解字

《說文》：“財，人所寶也。从貝，才聲。”

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)