冠 (guān) - crown & headgear

冠Tone 1

guān ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 冖

枫惠

冠 · guān

crown;

headgear;

to be first;

to precede;

to be the best;

to wear a hat

crownheadgearto be first

Usage highlights

championcrowncoronationlaurel wreathhatcrown jewel

Synonyms

  • 冕— imperial crown
  • 首— first, head
  • 顶— top, peak

Antonyms

  • 末— last, end
  • 尾— tail, end
  • 底— bottom, base

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He won the championship (冠军).
  • The king wears a crown (王冠).
  • This is the crown jewel (冠冕).
  • He was crowned with laurel (桂冠).

Collocations

  • champion(冠军)
  • crown(王冠)
  • coronation(加冠)
  • laurel wreath(桂冠)
  • hat(冠帽)
  • crown jewel(冠冕)

Idioms

  • To wear a cap on a rat's head(沐猴而冠)
  • The crown of thorns(荆棘冠)
  • To be the first to bear hardships(冠绝一时)
  • To be crowned with success(冠冕堂皇)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, the capping ceremony (冠礼) was an important coming-of-age ritual for men at age 20.
  • The character represents both physical headgear and metaphorical concepts of excellence and leadership.
  • In imperial contexts, crowns symbolized royal authority and status.

FAQ