灿 (càn) — (bound form) bright, brilliant, shining (used in compounds like 灿烂)
Definition
灿 is a bound form meaning 'bright, brilliant, shining' — almost never used alone. It appears in compounds, most commonly 灿烂 (cànlàn, 'brilliant, radiant').
bound form
brightbrilliantshining (used in compounds like 灿烂)
Examples
- 。Jīn tiān de yáng guāng hěn càn làn.Today's sunlight is very brilliant.
- 。Tā xiào dé nà me càn làn.She smiled so brilliantly.
- 。Yè kōng zhōng fán xīng càn làn.The night sky is full of brilliant stars.
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 燦; 灿 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
粲
粲càn燦càn
Same sound today
The traditional form 燦 pairs 火 (fire) with 粲 as a sound part; the simplified 灿 is a shorthand, and its right side is not a historical part.
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