Dong Chinese dictionary

jiān

difficult

Phonosemantic compound. 艮 represents the meaning and 堇 represents the sound.

Components

艮 Meaning component

gěn, gèn

blunt

堇 Sound component

jǐn

clay

Evolution

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze script

Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

jiān

difficult, hard; distressing; difficult; hard; hardship

Most common words with 艱

Sources