How to Say
How to Write
jiàn
Radical: 木 12 strokes
Meaning: material used to hastily repair a dike
💡 Imagine 'wooden key' (木+建) hastily plugging a leak in a dike.
Compounds

📚 Character Story & Explanation

楗 (jiàn) meaning in English —

楗 (jiàn) refers to materials—like wood, stone, or earth—used to temporarily patch a dike or dam during a flood. In ancient China, communities would mobilize to collect 楗 to reinforce riverbanks before the rainy season. This character embodies the spirit of emergency collective action against nature's power, akin to Western 'sandbagging' or 'cofferdam' construction.

💬 Example Sentences

Common Compounds

Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up

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