Word Family of Terms Originally Pronounced KUAN

Semantic Values of the Sound KUAN: Frame + (Curving/Round) + Adhere/Be Proximate




  The terms in this word family add the nuance of curvature or roundness to the KAN family theme of Frame + Adhere/Be Proximate. The combination takes two main forms: one involving surrounding, and the other simple proximity between circular (or semi-circular) objects.
　Examples of the first type include 院 and 垣 (earthen walls surrounding structures), 宣 and 園 (surrounded palace and garden, respectively), 冠 (a crown, resting on the head), 官 (people in a building), 棺 (a coffin, containing its occupant), 券 (slats encircled by a cord/rope), 管 (a pipe/tube), 圏 and 圓/円 (enclosures), 軍 (military encampment in which soldiers are encircled by vehicles), 群 (circular herd of sheep), or 困 (an encircled tree).
　Examples of the second type include 原/源 (water gushing from a round spring), 丸 (human figure bending directly beneath a cliff), 湾 (water hugging a curving bay), 絹 and 繭 (silk threads produced by silkworms, with their oblong cocoons), 環 and 観 (eyes making a circular sweep over objects; in this case, the circularity has to do with the sweep of the eyes rather than the objects themselves), 菌 (round fungus on a plant), and 温 (a curved lid used to cover plates and keep food warm).
　Examples of other characters manifesting (semi-)circularity, though the object acted upon is not specified, include a bent arm in 腕 and in 匀 as described in 均, circular movement in 還 and 運, wavering threads in 幻 and 玄, rolling/reeling in 巻, and a round kettle in 員 (round kettle).



Among the non-Everyday Use Characters, we find the following examples:

Round or tubular containers for liquid (盥, 椀, 碗, 罐, 鋺, 鑵, 棬)
Tubular bamboo (箘, 筠)
A round granary (囷)
A ball of steamed grain (餛)
Fangs biting open a hole (穿)
Bending figures (冤, 宛, 踠, 倦)
Limber/curvaceous body, or body part (婉, 捥, 允, 奐, 鴛, 娟, 顴, 鵷, 踡)
Curled (knot of) hair (鬟, 鬈)
Peas in a pod (豌)
Round mass of fish eggs (鯤, 鯀)
A circular pit, enclosure or depression (苑, 窘, 豢, 圜, 寰, 羂, 殞, 圂)
Piercing (丨, 尹, 串, 丱, 擐)
Shave/trim into a round(ed) shape (刓)
A round piece of metal (鍰)
Smoke curling its way upward (熏, 燻)
A pool of water (淵, 洵)
A winding flow/outpour of water (涓, 渙, 澣, 畎)
Roiling water (滾, 溷)
A stretched bow (彎)
Robe/loincloth/skirt wrapped about the body (袁, 褌, 袞, 裙, 褞)
A circular woven pattern (絢)
A disorderly ball of thread (紜)
Hoops/rings/bracelets (綰, 鐶, 釧)
A round jewel (琿, 瑗)
A curved scepter (琬)
A cluster of jewels (琨)
Elliptical flutes (琯, 筦)
An oblong instrument resembling an ocarina (壎)
An oblong creature (螈)
A roundish turtle (黿)
A roundish fish (鯇)
A ring of light/fire (暈, 焜, 暄)
Vegetation with encircling or clumping characteristics (莞, 菅, 萱, 筍, 菎, 葷)
Luxuriant, drooping vegetation (菀)
A plant with round flowers (芫)
Curved poles (轘)
To roll, wind or bind (捲, 隕, 玩, 拳, 綣, 捆, 稛)
Rolled silk (紈)
Objects wrapped in leather (韞)
A hearse (container for a casket) (轀)
Undulating creature/insect (蜷, 蜿)
A herd of deer (麇)
Reins wound about a crossbar (轅)
Encircling stakes (桓)
Round chaps on the skin (皸)
A lump of charcoal (熅)
A small bowl (埦)
A cylindrical club (棍)
A bale of wood (梱)
Circular piles (薀, 蘊)
A barrel (醞)
An elliptical marker (坤)
Make a circular sweep with the eyes (眷, 眴)
A protruding eyeball (睆)
A pervasive aroma (醺)
Scoop out (捐)
Run/go about in a circle (狷, 詢, 逭, 獧)
A wall surrounding a town (闤)
Eyes brimming with tears (鰥)
Speak/cry out in chorus (喧, 嚾)

　Extensions of meaning or abstract applications of the senses noted above are found in the remaining characters in this group.

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