铨 (quán) - To weigh & to measure

铨Tone 2

quán ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

情仁

铨 · quán

To weigh;

to measure;

to select or appoint officials;

a steelyard;

a balance.

To weighto measureto select or appoint officials

Usage highlights

Official selectionTo weigh and considerAppointment methodAppointment departmentWeighing talentWeighing merits

Synonyms

  • 衡— To weigh; to judge
  • 量— To measure; to estimate
  • 选— To select; to choose

Antonyms

  • 弃— To discard; to abandon
  • 免— To dismiss; to remove from office

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He was appointed to an official position (铨选).
  • The ancient method of selecting officials (铨法).
  • The department in charge of official appointments (铨部).
  • To weigh and consider merits (铨衡).

Collocations

  • Official selection(铨选)
  • To weigh and consider(铨衡)
  • Appointment method(铨法)
  • Appointment department(铨部)
  • Weighing talent(铨才)
  • Weighing merits(铨绩)

Idioms

  • To weigh and consider impartially(铨衡轻重)
  • To select officials fairly(铨选公平)
  • To assess talent and assign posts(量能铨授)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In imperial China, '铨' was central to the civil service examination and appointment system, managed by the Ministry of Personnel (吏部).
  • The character embodies the principle of merit-based assessment and fair judgment in officialdom.
  • Its use reflects traditional values of justice, impartiality, and the importance of selecting qualified individuals for public service.

FAQ