缠 (chán) — to wind around, to coil, to wrap; to be tied up / entangled in (a matter, problem); to pester, to bother, to nag persistently
Definition
缠 (chán) covers both senses: literally winding/coiling something around (e.g. yarn), and figuratively pestering or being tangled up in matters. Contrast 绕, which focuses on going around in a path; 缠 implies wrapping or being stuck.
verb
to wind aroundto coilto wrapto be tied up / entangled in (a matter, problem)to pesterto botherto nag persistently
Examples
- 缠，。Tā bǎ máo xiàn chán zài shǒu shàng, yì quān yòu yì quān.She wound the yarn around her hand, circle after circle.
- ，。Tā bèi zá shì chán zhù le, yì shí tuō bù liǎo shēn.He got bogged down by trivial matters and couldn't get away for a while.
- 缠。Nà ge hái zi yì zhí chán zhe mā ma yào mǎi wán jù.That child kept pestering his mom to buy him a toy.
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 纏; 缠 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
廛
廛chán纏chán
Same sound today
The traditional form 纏 combines 糸 (silk) with 廛 as the sound part; the simplified 缠 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.
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