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寒 (hán) — cold, frigid (in compounds related to temperature and climate); poor, needy (in compounds like 贫寒, 寒门)

Definition

A literary/bound form used mainly in compounds: 寒冷 means 'cold' (more written than plain 冷), and 贫寒/寒门 mean 'poor, from a humble family.' Rarely stands alone.

bound form
coldfrigid (in compounds related to temperature and climate)poorneedy (in compounds like 贫寒, 寒门)

Examples

  • 。
    Běi fāng dōng tiān fēi cháng hán lěng.
    Winter in the north is extremely cold.
  • ，。
    Tā jiā jìng pín hán, cóng xiǎo jiù chī kǔ.
    His family was poor and needy; he suffered hardship from childhood.
  • 。
    hán Lěng de dōng tiān ràng rén bù xiǎng chū mén.
    The cold winter makes people not want to go out.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 人人rénperson
  • 茻茻mǎnggrass

寒 shows 宀 (house), 人 (person), and 茻 (grass): a person sleeping in grass inside a house to keep out the cold.

Appears in
Weather

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