Why is the meaning of kanji 閑 is “leisure”?












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Kanji 閑 contains 門 + 木.
Why does gate + tree mean leisure?










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    4















    Kanji 閑 contains 門 + 木.
    Why does gate + tree mean leisure?










    share|improve this question

























      4












      4








      4








      Kanji 閑 contains 門 + 木.
      Why does gate + tree mean leisure?










      share|improve this question














      Kanji 閑 contains 門 + 木.
      Why does gate + tree mean leisure?







      kanji






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      asked 1 hour ago









      user32763user32763

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          閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



          Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



          In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).






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            The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



            「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





            • Space is now written as「間」


            • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


            「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




            The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).







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              2 Answers
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              active

              oldest

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              2 Answers
              2






              active

              oldest

              votes









              active

              oldest

              votes






              active

              oldest

              votes









              2














              閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



              Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



              In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).






              share|improve this answer






























                2














                閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



                Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



                In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).






                share|improve this answer




























                  2












                  2








                  2







                  閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



                  Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



                  In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).






                  share|improve this answer















                  閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



                  Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



                  In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).







                  share|improve this answer














                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer








                  edited 56 mins ago

























                  answered 1 hour ago









                  LeeboLeebo

                  595129




                  595129























                      2














                      The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



                      「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





                      • Space is now written as「間」


                      • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


                      「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




                      The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).







                      share|improve this answer






























                        2














                        The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



                        「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





                        • Space is now written as「間」


                        • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


                        「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




                        The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).







                        share|improve this answer




























                          2












                          2








                          2







                          The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



                          「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





                          • Space is now written as「間」


                          • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


                          「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




                          The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).







                          share|improve this answer















                          The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



                          「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





                          • Space is now written as「間」


                          • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


                          「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




                          The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).








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                          edited 32 mins ago

























                          answered 55 mins ago









                          drooozedroooze

                          4,94411930




                          4,94411930






























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