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晚 (wǎn) — late

Definition

Adjective meaning 'late' (arriving or happening after the expected time). Compare 迟 (more often 'delayed/slow'); 晚 as a noun ('evening') is written 晚上.

adjective
late
Easily confused

Examples

  • 晚。
    Xiàn zài tài wǎn le.
    It's too late now.
  • 晚。
    Tā jīn tiān lái wǎn le.
    He came late today.
  • 晚。
    Nǐ míng tiān bú yào lái wǎn le.
    Don't come late tomorrow.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rì
Sound part声符shēngfú
免
免miǎn晚wǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

晚 pairs 日, the sun part, with 免, which supplies the sound.

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 1500 Most Frequent Chinese Words1000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsTime of Day2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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