干 (gān) — dry (adjective)
Definition
Short, everyday adjective meaning 'dry' (weather, food, skin). It pairs with other words (干枯, 干旱) to make compound terms; on its own it's the plain spoken form, not the more formal 干燥.
dry (adjective)
Examples
- ，。Tiān qì hěn gān zào, wǒ de shǒu bù shū fu.The weather is very dry, my hands are uncomfortable.
- 干，。Zhè kuài miàn bāo tài gān le, bù néng chī le.This piece of bread is too dry, I can't eat it.
- ，。Zhè ge dì qū hěn gān hàn, hěn shǎo xià yǔ.This area is very dry, it rarely rains.
Origin
Sound + meaning · tentative六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngThe simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.
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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
倝
倝gàn乾gān
Same sound today
Appears in
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