Learn a Chinese Character - 肝 | Liver

1. Character Basics

Radical: 月 (ròu - flesh radical, often indicating body parts)

Stroke Count: 7

Stroke Order:

Structure: This is a形声字 (xíngshēngzì - phonetic-semantic character) composed of 月 (flesh) as the semantic component and 干 (gān) as the phonetic component. The flesh radical indicates that it is related to a body part, specifically the liver.

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Gān (first tone)

Tone: First tone (high level)

3. Meaning

Core Meaning: "liver" (a vital internal organ in the human body)

Main Meanings:

• The liver, a major organ in the digestive and metabolic system
• In traditional Chinese medicine, it is associated with emotion, particularly anger
• Figuratively: courage, spirit (as in 肝胆相照 - gān dǎn xiāng zhào - to show utter sincerity)

4. Common Words

• 肝脏 (gān zàng): liver

  肝脏是人体重要的器官。(Gān zàng shì rén tǐ zhòng yào de qì guān.) - The liver is an important organ in the human body.

• 肝癌 (gān ái): liver cancer

  早期发现肝癌可以提高治愈率。(Zǎo qī fā xiàn gān ái kě yǐ tí gāo zhì yù lǜ.) - Early detection of liver cancer can improve the cure rate.

• 肝炎 (gān yán): hepatitis

  肝炎是一种常见的肝脏疾病。(Gān yán shì yī zhǒng cháng jiàn de gān zàng jí bìng.) - Hepatitis is a common liver disease.

• 肝胆 (gān dǎn): liver and gallbladder; courage; sincerity

  他们是肝胆相照的好朋友。(Tā men shì gān dǎn xiāng zhào de hǎo péng yǒu.) - They are close friends who show utter sincerity to each other.

• 肝气 (gān qì): liver qi (in TCM); irritability

  他最近肝气不舒，容易生气。(Tā zuì jìn gān qì bù shū, róng yì shēng qì.) - He has been irritable lately and gets angry easily.

5. Grammar & Usage

As a noun:

• Used to refer to the organ: 肝脏 (gān zàng) - liver
• Often used with classifiers: 一个肝脏 (yī gè gān zàng) - one liver

In compound words:

• Many compound words use 肝 to refer to liver-related conditions or concepts
• Examples: 肝功能 (gān gōng néng) - liver function; 肝移植 (gān yí zhí) - liver transplantation

In idioms:

• 肝胆相照 (gān dǎn xiāng zhào) - to show utter sincerity
• 肝肠寸断 (gān cháng cùn duàn) - heartbroken; extremely sad
• 忠肝义胆 (zhōng gān yì dǎn) - loyal and righteous

6. Cultural Background

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the liver is considered one of the five vital organs and plays a crucial role in maintaining health. It is believed to govern the smooth flow of qi (vital energy) throughout the body and is associated with the emotion of anger.

Culturally, the liver has symbolic meanings beyond its physical function. It is often used in idioms and expressions to represent courage, loyalty, and sincerity. For example, 肝胆相照 (gān dǎn xiāng zhào) describes a relationship of complete trust and sincerity between friends.

The character 肝 also appears in Chinese cuisine terminology, though not as commonly as other organ characters. Traditional Chinese dietary therapy often includes liver-based dishes for their perceived health benefits according to TCM principles.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

1. Radial Association: Remember that the left part is 月 (ròu - flesh radical), which tells us that 肝 is related to a body part.

2. Phonetic Component: The right part is 干 (gān), which gives a hint about the pronunciation.

3. Stroke Order: Remember the seven-stroke order: start with the flesh radical (撇, 横折钩, 横, 横) followed by the 干 component (横, 横, 竖). Practice writing it several times to memorize.

4. Common Expressions: Associate the character with common expressions like 肝脏 (liver), 肝炎 (hepatitis), and the idiom 肝胆相照 (to show utter sincerity) to remember its meaning and usage.