匠 (jiàng) — craftsman, artisan (bound form, used in compounds)
Definition
匠 is a bound form meaning 'craftsman, artisan' — it almost never stands alone and is used in compounds like 工匠, 匠人, and 匠心 ('mastery, craftsmanship'). It emphasizes refined skill and mastery of a craft, not just any worker.
bound form
craftsmanartisan (bound form, used in compounds)
Easily confused
- 匪fěilook-alike(bound form) bandit, robber, brigand
- 酱jiàngsound-alike(noun) thick fermented paste (e.g., soybean paste, broad bean paste)
- 匹pǐlook-alike(classifier) for horses, mules, and other equine animals
- 降jiàngsound-aliketo fall, to drop, to descend (of temperature, prices, altitude, etc.)
- 匡kuānglook-alike(bound form) to correct or rectify (an error)
- 犟jiàngsound-alikeobstinate; stubborn
Examples
- 。Tā shì yí wèi zhù míng de gōng jiàng.He is a famous craftsman.
- 。Zhè wèi jiàng rén de shǒu yì fēi cháng jīng zhàn.This artisan's skill is extremely refined.
- 匠。Tā de zuò pǐn chōng mǎn le jiàng xīn.His work is full of masterful creativity.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
- 匚匚fāngbox
- 斤斤jīnaxe
Traditionally, 匠 combines 匚, a box, with 斤, an axe.
Appears in
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