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閒

简閒 · 闲 · 繁閒

Mandarin · pinyin jiān#

variant of 間 jiān

Mandarin · pinyin jiàn#

variant of 間 jiàn

Mandarin · pinyin xián#

idle
unoccupied
leisure

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閒: Look up this written character

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1 · jian1

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69same-tone records1source reference

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 10 senses · 3 Cantonese readings

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

gaan1 · gaan3 · haan4

Cantonese word readings for 閒. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character · Etymology 1

not busy; idle
vacant; unoccupied; unused
leisurely and carefree
trivial; unimportant
unrelated to one's proper business; extraneous; belonging to others
relaxed; peaceful; tranquil; calm
leisure; spare time; free time
(gambling) player (instead of banker)
a surname
(Hakka) alternative form of 還 /还 (“very”)

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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