難 (nán)

hard, difficult, arduous; unable

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 隹 represents the meaning and 𦰩 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "type of bird". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“,鳥也。从鳥,堇聲。難,或从隹。”

Original meaning

type of bird

Components