陳

1. Physical: To arrange or display objects on a surface for inspection or use (e.g., exhibiting goods, arranging ritual vessels).

2. Verbal: To state or plead; the formal presentation of facts, a case, or a grievance.

3. Temporal: Old, stale, aged, vintage, or outdated; refers to things kept in storage for a long duration.

• Transitive Verb: [陳 + Object]. Used for displaying an object or stating/pleading a case.
• Stative Adjective: Describes the condition of an object as old, stale, or long-standing.
• Proper Noun: Refers to the State of Chen or the surname Chen; typically identified by position (start of phrase) or pairing with titles.

• Contrast with 展 (to unfold/expand): 陳 emphasizes the specific arrangement or ordering of items for an observer.
• Contrast with 述 (to narrate/recount): While 述 focuses on the act of telling, 陳 suggests a structured presentation intended for another's judgment or inspection.

• Variants: U+9663 is a recognized semantic variant; U+9648 is the simplified form.

// Readings: Fanqie readings are 直珍 and 直刃; Tang-period reconstruction is //djhin.

The glyph is generally stable in classical contexts. The "mound" radical (阝) can occasionally be involved in phonetic loans in very early paleography, though this rarely impacts the translation of standard classical texts.