干

Étymologie et composants

The Chinese character 干 (gān) is composed of two parts: 戈 (gē), which means "spear" or "weapon," and 工 (gōng), which means "work" or "labor." The combination of these two characters suggests the idea of "using a weapon to do work," which is why 干 is often used in the sense of "to do" or "to perform." For example, the phrase 工作 (gōngzuò) means "work" or "job," and the phrase 干活 (gànhuó) means "to do work" or "to work."In addition to its literal meaning, 干 also has a number of extended meanings. For example, it can be used to mean "to interfere" or "to meddle," as in the phrase 不要干涉别人的事 (bùyào gānshè biérén de shì), which means "Don't interfere in other people's business." It can also be used to mean "to be related to" or "to have a connection with," as in the phrase 他跟我没有干系 (tā gēn wǒ méiyǒu gānxi), which means "He has nothing to do with me."Overall, the character 干 is a versatile character with a rich history and a variety of meanings. It is an important character to learn for HSK learners, as it is used in a wide range of contexts.