(guān) - official in charge & keeper

Tone 1

guān | 10 strokes | radical:

· guān

official in charge;

keeper;

attendant;

(in modern usage) a hired hand in certain trades, especially referring to a waiter or a herdsman.

official in chargekeeperattendant

Usage highlights

cowherdpigwaitershepherdyoung male servanthorse keeper

Synonyms

  • servant
  • laborer; servant

Antonyms

  • master; owner
  • high official

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The cowherd tends the cattle (牛倌).
  • He works as a waiter in a teahouse (堂倌).
  • The pig-herder is responsible for the swine (猪倌).
  • In some contexts, it refers to a young male servant (小倌).

Collocations

  • cowherd(牛倌)
  • pig-herder(猪倌)
  • waiter(堂倌)
  • shepherd(羊倌)
  • young male servant(小倌)
  • horse keeper(马倌)

Idioms

  • There is no specific idiom that is widely known and primarily features the character 倌.

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used to denote low-level officials or keepers of animals.
  • In modern usage, it is often found in dialectal or specific occupational terms, particularly in rural settings.
  • The character carries a connotation of a specific, often manual, role rather than a prestigious position.

FAQ