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

      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. This is one of those terms have neutral descriptive uses versus abstract idealised uses. The list of such concepts is long: 王"king/true king =王者", 君子"gentleman/true gentleman" 道"behaviour/ideal behaviour"，禮 "custom/ideal ritual"，德“feature/ideal feature,virtue". 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").