(lán) — fence; railing; barrier; column (of text, data, or a form)

Definition

栏 is a measure-like noun for a 'column' (in a table, form, or text layout) — like a labeled section/box, not a single row. For a physical railing use 栏杆; for a regular feature column in a publication see 专栏.

noun
fencerailingbarriercolumn (of text, data, or a form)
Measure word ·

Examples

  • Qǐng bǎ dá àn xiě zài yòu biān nà yì lán lǐ.
    Please write the answer in that column on the right.
  • Gōng yuán de lán gān xū yào chóng xīn yóu qī.
    The park's railing needs to be repainted.
  • Tā qīng sōng dì kuà guò le nà dào lán.
    He easily stepped over that hurdle.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most 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 欄; 栏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
lánlán
Same sound today

In the traditional form 欄, 木 (wood) shows the meaning and 闌 supplies the sound; the simplified 栏 is a later shorthand.

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