簡

See also: 简

簡 U+7C21, 簡 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-7C21 ← 簠 [U+7C20] CJK Unified Ideographs 簢 → [U+7C22]

Translingual

Han character

簡 (Kangxi radical 118, 竹+12, 18 strokes, cangjie input 竹日弓日 (HANA), four-corner 8822₇, composition ⿱𥫗間)

Related characters

• 𥳑 (Kangxi dictionary form)

Derived characters

• 㶕(𰝗) 𡅉 𪦴 𣠰 𤓃 𫌙 𨰝

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: not present, would follow page 901, character 28
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 26520
• Dae Jaweon: page 1325, character 7
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 5, page 3017, character 15
• Unihan data for U+7C21

Chinese

trad.		簡
simp.		简
2nd round simp.		𫈉
alternative forms		𥳑 柬 蕑／𰱇

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 簡
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script

	Old Chinese
間	*kreːn, *kreːns
簡	*kreːnʔ
澗	*kreːns, *kraːns
鐧	*kreːns, *kraːns
蕑	*kreːn
覵	*kreːn, *kreːns, *pkrenʔ
襉	*kreːnʔ, *kreːns
僩	*kreːnʔ, *ɡraːnʔ
鬜	*kʰreːn, *kʰraːn, *kʰreːd
癇	*ɡreːn
瞯	*ɡreːn
憪	*ɡreːn, *ɡraːnʔ
橌	*ɡraːnʔ
撊	*ɡraːnʔ

Characters in the same phonetic series (閒) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *kreːnʔ): semantic 竹 + phonetic 間 (OC *ɡreːn)

Pronunciation

Rime
Character	簡
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	山 (73)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	II
Fanqie	古限切
Baxter	keanX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kˠɛnX/
Pan Wuyun	/kᵚænX/
Shao Rongfen	/kænX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kəɨnX/
Li Rong	/kɛnX/
Wang Li	/kænX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/kănX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	jiǎn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gaan2

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	簡	簡
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	jiǎn	jiǎn
Middle Chinese	‹ kɛnX ›	‹ kɛnX ›
Old Chinese	/*kˁre[n]ʔ/	/*kˁre[n]ʔ/
English	bamboo slip for writing	select, large-minded, etc.
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	簡
Reading #	1/1
No.	6227
Phonetic component	閒
Rime group	元
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	簡
Old Chinese	/*kreːnʔ/

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): jiǎn (jian³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄢˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): gaan²
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): kién / kián

  (Hailu, HRS): gien^ˊ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): gian³

• Eastern Min (BUC): gāng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gang³
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): kán

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gang²

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁵ci

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jiǎn
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄢˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jiǎn
    • Wade–Giles: chien³
    • Yale: jyǎn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jean
    • Palladius: цзянь (czjanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: gaan²
    • Yale: gáan
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gaan²
    • Guangdong Romanization: gan²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaːn³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kién
    • Hakka Romanization System: gien^ˋ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: gian³
    • Sinological IPA: /ki̯en³¹/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kián
    • Hakka Romanization System: gian^ˋ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: gian³
    • Sinological IPA: /ki̯an³¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: gien^ˊ
    • Sinological IPA: /kien²⁴/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: gian³
    • Sinological IPA: /kian³¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: gāng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaŋ³³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gang³
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: gâng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaŋ⁴⁵³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gang³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaŋ³³²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kán
    • Tâi-lô: kán
    • Phofsit Daibuun: karn
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kan⁵³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kan⁵⁵⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kan⁵³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kan⁵³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kan⁴¹/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: gang²
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: káng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaŋ⁵²/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁵ci
    • MiniDict: ci^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²ji
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡ɕi³⁴/

---

• Middle Chinese: keanX

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*kˤre[n]ʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kreːnʔ/

Etymology 1

Definitions

簡

1. bamboo slip
2. letter; epistle
3. simple; uncomplicated
4. terse; succinct; pithy; concise; brief; to the point
5. to simplify
6. to treat coldly; to give the cold-shoulder; to neglect
7. to select; to choose; to pick
8. a surname, Jian

Synonyms

• (letter):

edit

• 信
• 信件 (xìnjiàn)
• 信函 (xìnhán)
• 信札 (xìnzhá)
• 八行 (bāháng) (literary)
• 八行書 / 八行书 (bāhángshū) (literary)
• 函件 (hánjiàn)
• 尺牘 / 尺牍 (chǐdú) (literary)
• 尺素 (chǐsù) (literary, figurative)
• 手書 / 手书 (shǒushū) (literary)
• 手簡 / 手简 (shǒujiǎn) (literary)
• 書 / 书 (shū) (literary, or in compounds)
• 書信 / 书信 (shūxìn) (formal)
• 書函 / 书函 (shūhán)
• 書札 / 书札 (shūzhá) (literary)
• 書牘 / 书牍 (shūdú) (literary)
• 書簡 / 书简 (shūjiǎn) (literary)
• 筆札 / 笔札 (bǐzhá) (literary, figurative)
• 鴻 / 鸿 (hóng) (literary, figurative)

• (simple):

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• 不複雜 / 不复杂 (bù fùzá)
• 單純 / 单纯 (dānchún)
• 淺易 / 浅易 (qiǎnyì)
• 簡單 / 简单 (jiǎndān)
• 簡易 / 简易 (jiǎnyì)
• 輕巧 / 轻巧 (qīngqiǎo)

• (terse):

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• 扼要 (èyào)
• 概括 (gàikuò)
• 簡明 / 简明 (jiǎnmíng)
• 簡潔 / 简洁 (jiǎnjié)
• 簡練 / 简练 (jiǎnliàn)
• 簡要 / 简要 (jiǎnyào)
• 精簡 / 精简 (jīngjiǎn)
• 精粹 (jīngcuì)
• 精練 / 精练 (jīngliàn)

• (to simplify):

edit

• 簡化 / 简化 (jiǎnhuà)
• 精簡 / 精简 (jīngjiǎn)

• (to treat coldly):

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• 侮慢 (wǔmàn) (literary)
• 冷淡 (lěngdàn)
• 冷落 (lěngluò)
• 怠慢 (dàimàn)
• 慢待 (màndài)
• 晾 (liàng)
• 簡慢 / 简慢 (jiǎnmàn)
• 輕侮 / 轻侮 (qīngwǔ)
• 陵暴 (língbào) (literary)

• (to select):

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• 取 (qǔ)
• 取捨 / 取舍 (qǔshě)
• 抉擇 / 抉择 (juézé)
• 挑選 / 挑选 (tiāoxuǎn)
• 掄 / 抡 (lún) (literary)
• 採擇 / 采择 (cǎizé)
• 揀 / 拣 (jiǎn)
• 揀擇 / 拣择 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
• 揀選 / 拣选 (jiǎnxuǎn)
• 摘
• 摘揀 / 摘拣 (Hokkien)
• 相中
• 看中 (kànzhòng)
• 選中 / 选中 (xuǎnzhòng)
• 選取 / 选取 (xuǎnqǔ)
• 選定 / 选定 (xuǎndìng)
• 選擇 / 选择 (xuǎnzé)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “simple”): 繁 (fán)

Compounds

• 一切從簡 / 一切从简 (yīqiècóngjiǎn)
• 最簡分數 / 最简分数 (zuìjiǎn fēnshù)
• 刪繁就簡 / 删繁就简
• 刪蕪就簡 / 删芜就简
• 化繁為簡 / 化繁为简 (huàfánwéijiǎn)
• 四料簡 / 四料简
• 因陋就簡 / 因陋就简
• 夷簡 / 夷简
• 妙簡 / 妙简
• 寒微簡陋 / 寒微简陋
• 小簡 / 小简
• 尺簡 / 尺简
• 山簡醉酒 / 山简醉酒
• 工作簡化 / 工作简化
• 從俗就簡 / 从俗就简
• 從簡 / 从简 (cóngjiǎn)
• 手簡 / 手简 (shǒujiǎn)
• 折簡 / 折简
• 披沙簡金 / 披沙简金
• 招生簡章 / 招生简章
• 抽簡祿馬 / 抽简禄马
• 排沙簡金 / 排沙简金
• 政清獄簡 / 政清狱简
• 政簡刑清 / 政简刑清
• 文簡意深 / 文简意深
• 斷簡殘篇 / 断简残篇
• 斷簡殘編 / 断简残编
• 斷編殘簡 / 断编残简 (duànbiāncánjiǎn)
• 書簡 / 书简 (shūjiǎn)
• 書缺簡脫 / 书缺简脱
• 木簡 / 木简 (mùjiǎn)
• 梁簡文帝
• 梨花簡 / 梨花简
• 樓蘭晉簡 / 楼兰晋简
• 殘篇斷簡 / 残篇断简 (cánpiānduànjiǎn)
• 殘編斷簡 / 残编断简 (cánbiānduànjiǎn)
• 殘章斷簡 / 残章断简
• 汗簡 / 汗简
• 流沙墜簡 / 流沙坠简
• 深居簡出 / 深居简出 (shēnjūjiǎnchū)
• 漢簡 / 汉简
• 狂簡 / 狂简 (kuángjiǎn)
• 玉簡 / 玉简
• 琅簡蘂書 / 琅简蕊书
• 甄煩就簡 / 甄烦就简
• 白簡 / 白简
• 省煩從簡 / 省烦从简
• 短簡 / 短简
• 竹簡 / 竹简 (zhújiǎn)
• 竹簡文 / 竹简文
• 簡介 / 简介 (jiǎnjiè)
• 簡任 / 简任
• 簡便 / 简便 (jiǎnbiàn)
• 簡儀 / 简仪
• 簡兮 / 简兮
• 簡冊 / 简册 (jiǎncè)
• 簡分數 / 简分数
• 簡別 / 简别
• 簡則 / 简则 (jiǎnzé)
• 簡勁 / 简劲
• 簡化 / 简化 (jiǎnhuà)
• 簡化字 / 简化字 (jiǎnhuàzì)
• 簡化漢字 / 简化汉字
• 簡史 / 简史 (jiǎnshǐ)
• 簡古 / 简古
• 簡單 / 简单 (jiǎndān)
• 簡單再生產 / 简单再生产
• 簡單勞動 / 简单劳动
• 簡單協作 / 简单协作
• 簡單商品生產 / 简单商品生产
• 簡單明瞭 / 简单明了 (jiǎndān-míngliǎo)
• 簡單機械 / 简单机械 (jiǎndān jīxiè)
• 簡在帝心 / 简在帝心
• 簡坡 / 简坡 (Jiǎnpō)
• 簡報 / 简报 (jiǎnbào)
• 簡子 / 简子
• 簡字 / 简字 (jiǎnzì)
• 簡字譜錄 / 简字谱录
• 簡孚 / 简孚
• 簡寫 / 简写 (jiǎnxiě)
• 簡屍 / 简尸
• 簡市 / 简市 (Jiǎnshì)
• 簡帖 / 简帖
• 簡帛書 / 简帛书 (jiǎnbóshū)
• 簡式 / 简式
• 簡弛 / 简弛
• 簡忽 / 简忽
• 簡愛 / 简爱
• 簡慢 / 简慢 (jiǎnmàn)
• 簡截 / 简截
• 簡截了當 / 简截了当
• 簡拔 / 简拔 (jiǎnbá)
• 簡括 / 简括 (jiǎnkuò)
• 簡捷 / 简捷 (jiǎnjié)
• 簡斷 / 简断
• 簡斷截說 / 简断截说
• 簡易 / 简易 (jiǎnyì)
• 簡明 / 简明 (jiǎnmíng)
• 簡易師範 / 简易师范
• 簡明扼要 / 简明扼要 (jiǎnmíng èyào)
• 簡書 / 简书
• 簡札 / 简札
• 簡本 / 简本 (jiǎnběn)
• 簡板 / 简板
• 簡核 / 简核
• 簡樸 / 简朴 (jiǎnpǔ)
• 簡歷 / 简历 (jiǎnlì)
• 簡況 / 简况
• 簡派 / 简派 (jiǎnpài)
• 簡潔 / 简洁 (jiǎnjié)
• 簡版 / 简版
• 簡牘 / 简牍 (jiǎndú)
• 簡牘學 / 简牍学
• 簡狄 / 简狄
• 簡略 / 简略 (jiǎnlüè)
• 簡直 / 简直 (jiǎnzhí)
• 簡省 / 简省 (jiǎnshěng)
• 簡短 / 简短 (jiǎnduǎn)
• 簡稱 / 简称 (jiǎnchēng)
• 簡稽 / 简稽
• 簡窳 / 简窳
• 簡策楮墨 / 简策楮墨
• 簡簡 / 简简
• 簡約 / 简约 (jiǎnyuē)
• 簡素 / 简素 (jiǎnsù)
• 簡編 / 简编
• 簡緣 / 简缘
• 簡練 / 简练 (jiǎnliàn)
• 簡縮 / 简缩 (jiǎnsuō)
• 簡缺 / 简缺
• 簡能 / 简能
• 簡表 / 简表
• 簡裝 / 简装 (jiǎnzhuāng)
• 簡要 / 简要 (jiǎnyào)
• 簡訊 / 简讯 (jiǎnxùn)
• 簡諧運動 / 简谐运动 (jiǎnxiéyùndòng)
• 簡譜 / 简谱 (jiǎnpǔ)
• 簡辰 / 简辰
• 簡釋 / 简释
• 簡閱 / 简阅
• 簡闊 / 简阔
• 簡陋 / 简陋 (jiǎnlòu)
• 簡雅 / 简雅
• 簡章 / 简章 (jiǎnzhāng)
• 簡體 / 简体 (jiǎntǐ)
• 簡體字 / 简体字 (jiǎntǐzì)
• 簡點 / 简点
• 籮簡 / 箩简
• 精簡 / 精简 (jīngjiǎn)
• 羅袍象簡 / 罗袍象简
• 脫簡 / 脱简
• 芟繁就簡 / 芟繁就简
• 苟簡 / 苟简
• 蠹簡 / 蠹简
• 襆頭象簡 / 幞头象简
• 言簡意賅 / 言简意赅 (yánjiǎnyìgāi)
• 詞清訟簡 / 词清讼简
• 象簡 / 象简 (xiàngjiǎn)
• 輕裝簡從 / 轻装简从
• 輕車簡從 / 轻车简从
• 辭簡意足 / 辞简意足
• 逢簡 / 逢简 (Féngjiǎn)
• 遺編絕簡 / 遗编绝简
• 郵簡 / 邮简 (yóujiǎn)
• 錯簡 / 错简 (cuòjiǎn)
• 鐵簡 / 铁简
• 青簡 / 青简
• 頭腦簡單 / 头脑简单
• 魚鼓簡板 / 鱼鼓简板

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English Jane.

Definitions

簡

1. A transliteration of the English female given name Jane

References

• “簡”, in 重編國語辭典修訂本 [Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary] (in Chinese), National Academy for Educational Research (Taiwan), 2021.
• Proper Names And Translation Service, Xinhua News Agency, editor (1993), “Jane 簡 [英]”, in 世界人名翻译大辞典 [Names of The Worlds Peoples: A comprehensive dictionary of names in Roman-Chinese] (in Chinese), Beijing: China Translation & Publishing Corporation, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 1374.

Japanese

Shinjitai	簡
Kyūjitai	𥳑

Kanji

See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 簡

簡

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 𥳑)

1. simple
2. terse, brief, succinct

Readings

• Go-on: けん (ken)
• Kan-on: かん (kan, Jōyō)
• Kun: ふだ (fuda, 簡)、えらぶ (erabu, 簡ぶ)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
簡
かん Grade: 6
kan'on

From Middle Chinese 簡 (MC keanX).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) かん [káꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [kã̠ɴ]

Adjective

簡(かん) • (kan) -na (adnominal 簡(かん)な (kan na), adverbial 簡(かん)に (kan ni))

1. brief; simple

Inflection

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	簡だろ	かんだろ	kan daro
Continuative (連用形)	簡で	かんで	kan de
Terminal (終止形)	簡だ	かんだ	kan da
Attributive (連体形)	簡な	かんな	kan na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	簡なら	かんなら	kan nara
Imperative (命令形)	簡であれ	かんであれ	kan de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	簡ではない 簡じゃない	かんではない かんじゃない	kan de wa nai kan ja nai
Informal past	簡だった	かんだった	kan datta
Informal negative past	簡ではなかった 簡じゃなかった	かんではなかった かんじゃなかった	kan de wa nakatta kan ja nakatta
Formal	簡です	かんです	kan desu
Formal negative	簡ではありません 簡じゃありません	かんではありません かんじゃありません	kan de wa arimasen kan ja arimasen
Formal past	簡でした	かんでした	kan deshita
Formal negative past	簡ではありませんでした 簡じゃありませんでした	かんではありませんでした かんじゃありませんでした	kan de wa arimasen deshita kan ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	簡で	かんで	kan de
Conditional	簡なら（ば）	かんなら（ば）	kan nara (ba)
Provisional	簡だったら	かんだったら	kan dattara
Volitional	簡だろう	かんだろう	kan darō
Adverbial	簡に	かんに	kan ni
Degree	簡さ	かんさ	kansa

Inflection of 簡

Noun

簡(かん) • (kan) 

1. brevity; simplicity

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
簡
ふだ Grade: 6
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 簡 – see the following entry.

【札ふだ】4 [noun] a card, a plate, a tag [noun] playing card Alternative spellings ふみだ, ふんだ

(This term, 簡, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

References

1. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 簡 (MC keanX). Recorded as Middle Korean 간〯 (kǎn) (Yale: kǎn) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

• (simple; concise; etc.):
  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ka̠n]
  • Phonetic hangul: [간]
• (in 간이 (簡易, gani)):
  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ka̠(ː)n]
  • Phonetic hangul: [간(ː)]
    • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.
• (letter; to select; etc.):
  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ka̠(ː)n]
  • Phonetic hangul: [간(ː)]
    • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

簡

Wikisource 簡 (eumhun 대쪽 간 (daejjok gan))

1. hanja form^? of 간 (“simple; uncomplicated”)
2. hanja form^? of 간 (“concise; brief”)
3. hanja form^? of 간 (“letter; epistle”)
4. hanja form^? of 간 (“to select; to choose; to pick”)

Compounds

• 간결 (簡潔, gan'gyeol)
• 간고 (簡古, gan'go)
• 간단 (簡單, gandan)
• 간독 (簡牘, gandok)
• 간략 (簡略, gallyak)
• 간만 (簡慢, ganman)
• 간법 (簡法, ganbeop)
• 간서 (簡書, ganseo)
• 간소 (簡素, ganso)
• 간약 (簡約, ganyak)
• 간요 (簡要, ganyo)
• 간이 (簡易, gani)
• 간지 (簡紙, ganji)
• 간찰 (簡札, ganchal)
• 간출 (簡出, ganchul)
• 간택 (簡擇, gantaek)
• 간편 (簡便, ganpyeon)
• 서간 (書簡, seogan)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

簡: Hán Nôm readings: giản, dẳng, dớn, giỡn, nhởn, dần, dẵng, giảm, giằn

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