Taxonomy of meanings for 網:  

  • 網 wǎng (OC: maŋʔ MC: mʷiɐŋ) 文兩切 上 廣韻:【同网 】
    • FISHING
      • nabactfishing with a net
    • NET
      • nnet to catch fish with
      • nabfigurativeweb of attachments that prevent one from attaining to Buddhahood
      • viactuse a fishing net
    • LAW
      • CATCH
        • WRAP
          • EMPLOY
            • INTERNET

            Additional information about 網

            說文解字:

              Criteria
            • NET

              1. The most general term for a net is probably wǎng 网 (originally specifically a fishing net) and gǔ 罟, (originally also specifically a fishing net). It seems that both terms referred originally not only to the fishing net, but to a net in general; already in bone inscriptions and then in SHIJING wǎng 网 is mentioned like a net used to catch animals.

              2. Luó 羅, wǎng 罔/網, bì 畢, fú 罘, and jū 罝 (small) are current words for bird nets which can also be used to catch small animals like hares. [Bì 畢 was probably of Y-like shape, and consisted of small net and long handle. The word wǎng 罔/網 is probably only archaic variant of wǎng 网. In SHIJING, the word is used also for a fish net. Fú 罘 can be also used to catch large animals like deers.

              3. Zēng 罾, gū 罛, yù 罭 are current names for fish nets.

              4. Hǎn 罕 refers to a small bird net with long handle; perhaps it refers to the same implement like bì 畢.

              5. Zhāng 張 is usually a verb meaning 'to catch (birds or animals) with a net', but it can also refer to a net for hunting.

              6. Weì 罻 refers to a small net for catching birds.

              7. Chōng 罿 refers to a small bird net.

              8. Juàn 罥 refers to a bird net.

              9. Fú CHARACTER??? is a mechanism used to catch birds or animals. It was perhaps a carriage with two shafts, among which was spread a net. Mentioned already in SHIJING. [HUANG 1995: 448 - 449; XIANG 1997: 163]

            • FISHING

              1. Yú 漁 is the general word for fishing of any kind, particularly of the professional activity of fishing.

              2. Fishing with a fishing rod and a line, mainly as an amateur activity and a leisure activity, is diào 釣.

              3. Fishing with a net, typically as a professional activity, is wǎng 網.

              4. Cè 矠 refers specifically to fishing with a spear.

              Word relations
            • Assoc: (FISHING)羅/NET Luó 羅 , wǎng 罔/網, bì 畢, fú 罘, and jū 罝 (small) are current words for bird nets which can also be used to catch small animals like hares. [Bì 畢 was probably of Y-like shape, and consisted of small net and long handle (HUANG 1995: 447 - 448). The word wǎng 罔/網 is probably only archaic variant of wǎng 网 [WANG 1993: 238]. In SHIJING, the word is used also for a fish net (XIANG 1997: 665). Fú 罘 can be also used to catch large animals like deers. [HUANG 1995: 448]
            • Oppos: (FISHING)釣/FISHING Fishing with a fishing rod and a line, mainly as an amateur activity and a leisure activity, is diào 釣.