艰险 (jiān xiǎn) — difficult and dangerous

Definition

Adds a strong sense of physical danger and peril to difficulty. Compare 艰难 (just hard) and 惊险 (thrilling-danger, like a movie, not real hardship).

adjective

difficult and dangerous

艰险，。
Zhè tiáo shān lù fēi cháng jiān xiǎn, kāi chē yào xiǎo xīn.
This mountain road is very dangerous; drive carefully.
艰险，。
Tàn xiǎn jiā men jīng lì le jiān xiǎn de lǚ chéng, zhōng yú dào dá le mù dì dì.
The explorers went through a perilous journey and finally reached their destination.
艰险，。
Zài jiān xiǎn de tiáo jiàn xià, tā men yī rán jiān chí gōng zuò.
Under dangerous conditions, they still persisted in working.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

艰jiāndifficult

险xiǎndangerous

艰 means difficult and 险 means dangerous, so the idea combines hardship with peril.

Characters in this word

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 艱; 艰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

𦰩𦰩𦰩

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn艱jiān

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 艱 pairs 𦰩 for meaning with 艮 for sound; the simplified 艰 is a later abbreviation.

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 險; 险 is its simplified writing.

阝僉險

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

僉

僉qiān險

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 險 pairs 阝, written in full as 阜, with 僉, which gives the sound; the simplified 险 is a shorthand.

Appears in