Taxonomy of meanings for 案:　　

  • 案 àn (OC: qaans MC: ʔɑn) 烏旰切 去 廣韻：【几屬也史記曰髙祖過趙趙王張敖自持案進食又曹公作欹案卧視書又察行也考也驗也 】
    • CONFORM
      • vtoN.adVin accordance with, following, along with
      • vtoNtake as a formal standard
    • INVESTIGATE
      • vtoNinvestigate
    • SAFEGUARD
      • vtoNhold down, keep with one
    • STOP
      • vtoNcause to stay put> hold back, stop (army)
    • TABLE
      • ntable
    • BOWL
      • SEAT
        • LEGAL CASE
          • DOCUMENT
            • OFFICE
              • BOUNDARY
                • THEN
                  • vadVthen (common e.g. in XUN)LZ
                • = 按
              • ànRELY ON
                • vtoN.adVtrely on N in V-ingLZ

              Additional information about 案

              說文解字: 【案】，几屬。 〔唐寫本木部殘卷「屬」下有「也」。〕 从木、安聲。 【烏旰切】

                Criteria
              • TABLE

                1. Most general word for the table is jǐ 几. According to the character, its main characteristic was crooked legs. The word then refers to two different pieces of furniture both possessing this feature: 1) to the small and very narrow table made usually of wood or bamboo and used for leaning on when sitting (or, more precisely, kneeling); this was put behind one's left side or in front of one, 2) to the low table broader than previous, which was used to put something on. In relation to the latter meaning, the term can be also used as a general term for the following kinds of tables.

                2. Àn 案 refers to the low table with oblong desk which was used to put on either dishes or other things, such as books which one reads etc. The table used to the former purpose has the higher rim around the desk. The term came to be used in Han times, but tables of this type are known already from the Warring States period. It is not sometimes easy to distinguish àn 案 from jǐ 几 and there is certain confusion in using both terms.

                3. Huán (written like 懁 but with 木 radical) refers to the round table of type to put dishes on.

                4. Gé 閣 refers to the wooden table higher than àn 案 which was put among the seats during the feasts and was used to put on dishes to be eaten later. It can have several levels. Later, this table was also used to put on books.

                [5. Zǔ 俎 refers to the small sacricifial table which was used to cut and offer meat; mentioned already in SHI.

                6. Kuǎn 梡 in LIJI refers to the sacrificial wooden table with four legs; used to put on the whole victim???.

                7. Jué 嶡 refers in LIJI to the small sacrificial table with four legs made of wood.

                8. Zhì 鑕 refers to the chopping block made of wood, but more often of metal, which was used to carry out an execution by cutting in the waist.

                9. Zhēn 砧 refers to the chopping block for executions, and in this sense it began to be used already in the Warring States period. The word originally referred to the stone for pounding silk, but this usage is documented first in the Han.

                Word relations
              • Contrast: (INVESTIGATE)察/INVESTIGATE The most general words for investigating something are chá 察 "sort out clearly" and shen 審 "investigate carefully".
              • Synon: (CONFORM)據/RELY ON