髯 (rán) — side-whiskers, sideburns (literary or in compounds)

Definition

Literary term for 'side-whiskers / sideburns', almost always used in set compounds like 髯口 (Peking opera fake beard) or 虬髯 (curly whiskers), not as a standalone word.

bound form
side-whiskerssideburns (literary or in compounds)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 髯，。
    Tā liú zhe cháng cháng de rán xū, kàn shàng qù hěn wēi yán.
    He wears long whiskers and looks very dignified.
  • 髯。
    Jīng jù yǎn yuán de rán kǒu shì biǎo yǎn de zhòng yào dào jù.
    The fake beard in Peking opera is an important stage prop.
  • 髯。
    Zhè wèi gǔ rén yǐ měi rán wén míng.
    This ancient person was famous for his beautiful side-whiskers.

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
髟髟biāolong hair
Sound part声符shēngfú
冉
冉rǎn髯rán
Same sound today

髯 uses 髟 to show it is about long hair, and 冉 to show how it sounds.

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