貫
guàn
a string of coins; to pierce or string together; to permeate or carry through
Meaning
- Currency and Measure: A concrete string or roll of coins; used as a measure word for currency.
- Physical Action: To pierce, bore through, or string together (e.g., beads); linear penetration.
- Abstract Application:
- Coherence: To run through or permeate; the "single thread" binding disparate elements into unity.
- Mastery: Grasping the underlying logic or connecting thread of a subject or argument.
- Persistence: Carrying a task or idea through to the end.
Grammar and usage
- Verb: Primarily transitive (e.g., piercing an object, mastering a concept).
- Noun/Measure Word: Used for currency or items strung together.
Distinctions
- 貫 vs. 通 (tōng): While both involve "passing through," 通 emphasizes flow, accessibility, and openness. 貫 emphasizes the thread, the binding agent, and structural integrity.
History and forms
- Variants: Simplified variant 贯 (U+8D2F).
Graphical notes
- The glyph centers on the image of a string or line passing through a series of holes.
Translator notes
- When encountering this glyph as a measure of currency, prioritize the sense of a "string" or "roll" rather than a fixed numerical value (such as 1,000 coins), as the actual number varied by period and region unless the context explicitly demands a specific sum.
Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.