简 (jiǎn) — simple, brief, simplified (as a bound form in compounds); (historical) bamboo slip (as a bound form in compounds such as 竹简, 书简)
Definition
As a bound form, 简 only appears in compounds — it never stands alone. In modern usage it carries the sense 'simple/simplified' (e.g. 简化, 简历); the historical 'bamboo slip' sense (竹简) is rare at this level.
bound form
simplebriefsimplified (as a bound form in compounds)(historical) bamboo slip (as a bound form in compounds such as 竹简, 书简)
Examples
- 。Zhè ge liú chéng xū yào jiǎn huà.This process needs simplification.
- 。Qǐng fā yí fèn jiǎn lì gěi wǒ.Please send me a copy of your resume.
- 简。Bó wù guǎn lǐ zhǎn chū le gǔ dài de zhú jiǎn.The museum exhibited ancient bamboo slips.
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 簡; 简 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
間
閒xián簡jiǎn
Same sound today
In the traditional form 簡, 竹 (bamboo) is paired with 間 (also written 閒) as a sound part; the simplified 简 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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