Learn a Chinese Character - 干 | Dry; Trunk; Do; Work

1. Character Basics

Radical: 干 (itself, meaning "trunk" or "dry")

Stroke Count: 3

Stroke Order:

Structure: This is a simple character derived from an ancient pictograph representing a wooden pole or drying rack. Originally depicted as a cross with one horizontal line and one vertical line, it has evolved to its current form with three strokes.

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Gān (first tone) and Gàn (fourth tone)

Tone: Gān is first tone (high level), Gàn is fourth tone (falling)

3. Meaning

Core Meaning: "dry" (gān) or "to do; work; trunk" (gàn)

Main Meanings:

• As gān: dry; free from moisture; empty; vain; dried food
• As gàn: trunk of a tree; stem; to do; to work; to handle; capable person

4. Common Words

• 干净 (gān jìng): clean; neat

  房间很干净。(Fáng jiān hěn gān jìng.) - The room is very clean.

• 干燥 (gān zào): dry; arid

  沙漠里的空气很干燥。(Shā mò lǐ de kōng qì hěn gān zào.) - The air in the desert is very dry.

• 干活 (gàn huó): to work; to do manual labor

  他每天都要干活。(Tā měi tiān dōu yào gàn huó.) - He has to work every day.

• 干部 (gàn bù): cadre; official; leader

  他是一名优秀的干部。(Tā shì yī míng yōu xiù de gàn bù.) - He is an excellent cadre.

• 树干 (shù gàn): tree trunk

  这棵树的树干很粗。(Zhè kē shù de shù gàn hěn cū.) - This tree's trunk is very thick.

5. Grammar & Usage

As gān (adjective/noun):

• Used to describe something without moisture: 干燥的空气 (gān zào de kōng qì) - dry air
• Used to mean "clean": 干净的衣服 (gān jìng de yī fu) - clean clothes
• Used in idiomatic expressions: 干杯 (gān bēi) - Cheers! (literally "dry the cup")

As gàn (verb/noun):

• As a verb meaning "to do" or "to work": 干工作 (gàn gōng zuò) - to do work
• As a noun meaning "trunk" or "stem": 树干 (shù gàn) - tree trunk
• In compound words indicating occupation or role: 干事 (gàn shì) - secretary; 骨干 (gǔ gàn) - backbone; core member

6. Cultural Background

In Chinese culture, the character 干 has rich symbolic meanings. As a verb meaning "to do" or "to work," it reflects the traditional Chinese value of diligence and practicality. Phrases like 干活儿 (gàn huór) emphasize the importance of labor and productivity.

The character also appears in many idioms and proverbs. For example, 埋头苦干 (mái tóu kǔ gàn) means "to work hard with one's head down," advocating dedicated effort. 干净利落 (gān jìng lì luò) describes something done neatly and efficiently.

In ancient Chinese philosophy, 干 is one of the eight trigrams (八卦 - bā guà) in the Yijing (I Ching), representing heaven and yang energy. This shows the character's deep roots in Chinese cultural and philosophical traditions.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

1. Shape Association: The character 干 looks like a simplified representation of a tree trunk with branches, which connects to its meaning of "trunk" (gàn).

2. Sound-Meaning Connection: For the pronunciation gān, think of the English word "dry" which has a similar meaning.

3. Stroke Order: Remember the simple three-stroke order: horizontal, horizontal, vertical. Practice writing it several times to memorize.

4. Common Phrases: Associate the character with common phrases like 干净 (gān jìng - clean) and 干活 (gàn huó - to work) to remember its different pronunciations and meanings.