干
shield; offend; waterside; celestial stems; dry
Meanings
17 senses · 33 examplesnoun
shield (ancient)
literaryUsed in classical Chinese or fixed literary phrases.
The idiom dà dòng gān gē means to start a war.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, shields and spears were common weapons.
proper noun
surname Gan
A rare Chinese family name.
Gan Bao was a famous historian of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
verb
to offend; to violate
literaryUsed in formal or literary contexts.
His remarks offended public sentiment.
verb
to involve; to implicate
Commonly used in formal and daily contexts.
This incident involved many innocent people.
These two issues do not interfere with each other.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
This has nothing to do with me.
verb
to seek (position or salary)
literaryRare in modern daily use, mostly in classical or formal texts.
Ancient scholars often sought official positions as a starting point for their careers.
noun
waterside; bank
literaryUsed in literary and fixed phrases.
The scenery along the riverbank is very beautiful.
The children are playing on the riverbank.
noun
celestial stems
literaryPart of the ancient Chinese sexagenary cycle calendar system.
Celestial stems and earthly branches are traditional Chinese calendar dating methods.
This year is the Guimao year, Gui is the 10th celestial stem.
adjective
dry; lacking moisture
One of the most common meanings of the character.
The climate here is dry and it rarely rains.
Please hang the wet clothes to dry until they are dry.
Show 2 more examplesShow fewer examples
Fresh paint, please do not touch.
Mom put the firewood in a dry place.
adjective
dry method; waterless
Used in specific technical terms and fixed phrases.
This wool coat needs to be dry-cleaned.
The laboratory uses dry distillation to extract chemical raw materials.
noun
dried food
Often used with the diminutive suffix 儿 in northern dialects.
I like to eat raisins.
Mom dried radishes into chips as snacks.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
This kind of biscuit is made with whole wheat flour.
adjective
empty; devoid of content
Used in figurative contexts.
This company looks strong on the outside but is empty inside, and cannot withstand storms.
I spent all the money in my wallet.
adjective
perfunctory; mere formality
Used to describe actions without real substance.
He just gave a forced laugh and said nothing.
Stop wailing for no reason, hurry up and find a way to solve the problem.
adjective
adopted (kinship)
Used to describe non-blood related kinship relationships.
She has an adopted mother in Beijing.
He is my adopted son.
adverb
in vain; for no reason
Commonly used in daily speech.
Stop worrying for no reason, hurry up and think of a solution.
We just stared helplessly and couldn't help.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
It only thundered today without raining, so we can't farm.
adjective
blunt; rude
dialectUsed only in northern Chinese dialects.
Don't speak so bluntly, you'll offend people.
verb
to snub; to make someone embarrassed
dialectUsed only in northern Chinese dialects.
I snapped at him again because he was late.
verb
to snub; to leave someone ignored
dialectUsed only in northern Chinese dialects.
The host left and left us all ignored.