Taxonomy of meanings for 堅:　　

  • 堅 jiān (OC: kiin MC: ken) 古賢切 平 廣韻：【固也長也強也又姓漢二十八將有揚化將軍潁川堅鐔古賢切十七 】
    • HARD
      • nabstativesolidity; firmness
      • vadNsolid, hard
      • vadVfigurativesteadily; persistently, in an insisting manner; firmly
      • viof physical objects: be physically rigid and inflexible, hard, solid, impenetrable
      • vifigurativeof persons: maintain in a firm state, keep unswerving determination; be unswerving; also of mind: resolute
      • vtoNcausative(cause to be firm >) make strong; firm up; strengthen; make firm
      • vtoNcausativestrengthen oneself, strengthen one's own position
      • vtoNfigurativebe firm with respect to
      • generalised>DENSE
        • vibe solid and hardCH
        • dynamic>STRONG
          • vibe strong and firmly establishedCH
          • nabfeaturesolidityCH
    • SURNAMES
    • jiānSTUBBORN
      • nabpsychologicalstubbornnessCH
      • vibe stubbornDS

    Additional information about 堅

    說文解字: 【堅】，剛也。从臤、从土。 【古賢切】

      Criteria
    • ROTTEN

      1. The current general word for rottenness is fǔ 腐 (ant. xiān 鮮 "still fresh").

      2. Xiǔ 朽 (ant. xīn 新 "fresh") typically refers to the rottenness of trees or bones.

      3. Mí 糜 (ant. jiān 堅 "firm and unrotten") and the Han words làn 爛 emphasise the unretrievable state of complete rottenness.

      4. Bài 敗 (ant. gù 固 "firm and unimpaired") focusses on radical or essential changes brought about by the rotting process.

      5. Něi 餒 (ant. xiān 鮮 "still very fresh") refers specifically to the rottenness of fish.

    • HARD

      1. The standard word for internal inherent solidity is jiān 堅 (ant. cuì 脆 "brittle"), and the standard word for external firmness, sturdiness and immobility is gù 固.

      2. Gāng 剛 (ant. róu 柔 "pliable") focusses on physical hardness as the core of inflexibility and firmness, and the word has related figurative meanings, with both positive and negative connotations.

      3. Zhuàng 壯 and jìng 勁 (all ant. ruò 弱 "weak") add the notion of engergy and vigour to that of firmness.

      See STRONG.

      NP: Yìng 硬 (ant. ruǎn 軟 "soft") is a post-Han word.

    • WEAK

      1. The current general word for weakness of any physical or abstract kind, and of anything including states, persons, and animals is ruò 弱 (ant. qiáng 強 "strong").

      2. Léi 羸 (ant. jiàn 健 "strong and healthy") typically refers to physical weakness in humans.

      3. Bào 薄 (ant. zhuàng 壯 "strong and vigorous") can refer to a low or weak intensity of something.

      4. Cuì 脆 / 膬 (ant. jiān 堅 "strong and hard") refers to physical weakness as a result of brittleness and a propensity to break easily.

      5. Chí 弛 (ant. jiān 堅 "strong and hard") refers to weakness as a result of abstract or physical slackening.

      6. Shuāi 衰 (ant. shèng 盛 "strong and flourishing") refers to the process of weakening that attends any kind of decline.

      7. Hào 耗 (ant. kāng 康 "increasingly vigorous and healthy") refers to the process of weakening that results from using up available resources.

      8. Huǎ3n 緩 (ant. jié 捷 "nimble and vigorous in one's effort") is somewhat marginal in the group but can refer to habitual weakness of effort through slowness and lack of urgent and decisive action.

    • FEATURE

      1. There is no common word for a characteristic, feature, or property of something, but dé 德 and xiàng 象 are words that are used to refer to determining aspects of things. See NATURE

      2. Jiān bái 堅白 is an abstract philosophical term which refers to incommensurate features coexisting in a given object.

      Word relations
    • Ant: (HARD)敝/TATTERED
    • Ant: (HARD)柔/SOFT The current standard word for anything pliable and soft is róu 柔, and I have found no competing words with related meanings.
    • Epithet: (HARD)甲/ARMOUR The dominant general term is jiǎ 甲 and this armour is typically made of rhinoceros leather. [GENERAL]
    • Contrast: (HARD)剛/HARD Gāng 剛 (ant. róu 柔 "pliable") focusses on physical hardness as the core of inflexibility and firmness. [has also fig. meanings with positive and negative connotations][CA]
    • Contrast: (HARD)強 / 強/STRONG The current general word for the temporary state of strength, physical or political, are qiáng 強 (ant. ruò 弱 "weak").
    • Contrast: (HARD)定/FIX The current general word for fixing something in any objective and interpersonal way, concrete or abstract is dìng 定.
    • Assoc: (HARD)剛/HARD Gāng 剛 (ant. róu 柔 "pliable") focusses on physical hardness as the core of inflexibility and firmness. [has also fig. meanings with positive and negative connotations][CA]
    • Assoc: (HARD)固/STRONG The standard word for internal inherent solidity is jiān 堅 (ant. cuì 脆 "brittle"), and the standard word for external firmness, sturdiness and immobility is gù 固.
    • Assoc: (HARD)定/FIX The current general word for fixing something in any objective and interpersonal way, concrete or abstract is dìng 定.
    • Assoc: (HARD)強 / 強/STRONG The current general word for the temporary state of strength, physical or political, are qiáng 強 (ant. ruò 弱 "weak").