管 (guǎn)

variant of 管[guan3]

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 官 represents the sound. Originally a musical tube made of bamboo. The meaning "to manage" is a phonetic loan.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“管,如箎,六孔,十二月之音,物開地牙,故謂之管。从竹,官聲。琯,古者玉琯以玉。舜之時,西王母來獻其白琯。前零陵文學姓奚,於伶道舜祠下得笙玉琯。夫以玉作音,故神人以和,鳳皇來儀也。从玉,官聲。”

Components