圅 (hán) - To contain & to hold

圅Tone 2

hán ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

圅 · hán

To contain;

to hold;

ancient form of 函 (envelope, case, letter);

also used in ancient texts meaning 'to receive' or 'to include'.

To containto holdancient form of 函 (envelope, case, letter)

Usage highlights

Ancient envelopeContaining meaningBronze inscription formClassical variantDocument caseContained within

Synonyms

  • 函— envelope, case, letter (modern standard form)
  • 含— to contain, to hold in mouth
  • 容— to contain, to hold

Antonyms

  • 露— to expose, to reveal
  • 泄— to leak, to discharge

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient text used 圅 to mean envelope (书圅).
  • This character can contain multiple meanings (包含多种含义).
  • The bronze inscription shows the character 圅 (青铜器铭文中的圅).
  • It functions as a variant of 函 in classical texts (古文中函的异体字).

Collocations

  • Ancient envelope(古圅)
  • Containing meaning(圅义)
  • Bronze inscription form(金文圅)
  • Classical variant(古体圅)
  • Document case(文圅)
  • Contained within(圅内)

Idioms

  • Contained within the case(圅中之物)
  • Like an envelope holding a letter(如圅授书)
  • The meaning is contained within(义在圅中)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 圅 is an ancient form of 函, originally depicting a container or envelope for holding documents.
  • Appears frequently in bronze inscriptions and early Chinese texts as a variant character.
  • The character structure shows an enclosure radical containing elements, emphasizing the concept of containment.
  • Modern usage is rare and primarily found in historical or calligraphic contexts.

FAQ