严 (yán) — strict, stern, severe; tight, tightly sealed
Definition
严 is the bare root meaning 'strict/severe' — it modifies a standard, requirement, or seal. The set 严厉, 严密, 严峻, 严谨 add a second character to specialize the meaning (严酷的惩罚 vs 严密的计划 vs 严谨的态度).
adjective
strictsternseveretighttightly sealed
Examples
- 严。Lǎo shī duì xué shēng de yāo qiú hěn yán.The teacher has very strict requirements for students.
- ，严。Gài hǎo gài zi, nǐng yán jiù xíng le.Put the lid on and tighten it, that's enough.
- 严，。Zhè cì kǎo hé hěn yán, tōng guò de rén bù duō.This assessment was very strict; not many people passed.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
喦喦yántalkative
Sound part声符shēngfú
敢
敢gǎn嚴yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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