蹇 (jiǎn) - lame, crippled & difficult, hard

蹇Tone 3

jiǎn ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

嘉健

蹇 · jiǎn

lame, crippled;

difficult, hard;

slow-moving;

awkward;

a surname

lame, crippleddifficult, hardslow-moving

Usage highlights

lame footdifficult circumstancesslowhardship and adversityawkward speechdifficult journey

Synonyms

  • 跛— lame, crippled
  • 艰— difficult, hard
  • 难— difficult, troublesome

Antonyms

  • 健— healthy, strong
  • 捷— quick, agile
  • 顺— smooth, favorable

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He walks with a limp (蹇步).
  • The journey was arduous (蹇途).
  • She faced many difficulties (蹇困).
  • The old horse moved slowly (蹇驴).

Collocations

  • lame foot(蹇足)
  • difficult circumstances(蹇境)
  • slow-moving donkey(蹇驴)
  • hardship and adversity(蹇厄)
  • awkward speech(蹇言)
  • difficult journey(蹇途)

Idioms

  • When the road is rough, the jade shows its quality(路遥知马力，日久见人心)
  • To limp along a difficult path(蹇蹇匪躬)
  • Facing difficulties with fortitude(蹇谔匪躬)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese literature, 蹇 often appears in descriptions of physical disability or metaphorical hardship.
  • The character appears in historical records as a surname, notably during the Zhou dynasty.
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, 蹇 can refer to stiffness or difficulty in movement.

FAQ