干将 (gàn jiàng) — legendary double-edged sword (from the Gānjiàng-Mòyé myth); capable person, go-getter, key player

Definition

Two unrelated senses sharing one form: (1) literally, the legendary sword of the Gānjiàng-Mòyé myth; (2) figuratively, a highly capable go-getter, often modifying person (∼的人) or standing alone as a title of praise.

noun
legendary double-edged sword (from the Gānjiàng-Mòyé myth)capable persongo-getterkey player
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 干将。
    Zhè bǎ gàn jiàng shì gǔ dài míng jiàng zhù zào de.
    This Ganjiang sword was forged by a famous ancient craftsman.
  • 干将，。
    Tā shì wǒ men gōng sī de gàn jiàng, hěn duō xiàng mù dōu kào tā.
    He is a key player in our company; many projects depend on him.
  • 干将。
    Tuán duì xū yào jǐ gè gàn jiàng lái tuī dòng zhè ge jì huà.
    The team needs a few go-getters to drive this plan forward.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

干gān
将jiāng

干 and 将 carry no meaning of their own here; together they name the legendary sword and a capable person.

Sound-only characters

The 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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
乙乙yǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
倝
倝gàn乾gān
Same sound today
Open 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 將; 将 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat
寸寸cùnhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán將jiāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 將 combines 爿, which also supplies a sound and may show a small table, with ⺼ (meat) and 寸 (hand) to picture offering meat as tribute. The simplified 将 is a later shorthand.

Open 将 →

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