Taxonomy of meanings for 閑:　　

  • 閑 xián (OC: ɢreen MC: ɦɯæn) 戶閒切 平 廣韻：【闌也防也禦也大也法也習也睱也戸間切九 】
    • RAILING
        • specific>SCREEN
          • specific>GATE
            • system of fore keeping animals>STABLE
              • nhorse stable
            • function of>SAFEGUARD
              • nagentprotector, guardian (of a ruler etc)
              • generalised>DEFEND
                • nsubject=humanprotector (GULIANG) ????
                • vtoNto protect (MENG)
                • physically>HINDER
                    • abstract>RESTRAIN
                        • systematically>TRAIN
                          • be restrained by and understand (prohibitions)>KNOW
                            • vtoNstativebe familiar with
                            • intellectually>BROAD
                              • vifigurativebe broad and wide-ranging in culture
                              • vtoNfigurativebe broad (-ly learned) with respect to > have a wide-ranging knowledge of
                            • what one should know>RULE
                  • =閒REST
                      • =閒LEISURE
                        • vibe unengaged in irrelevant duties; be free and easy; feel at ease, feel at leisure
                        • vadNunengaged in irrelevant duties; unbusy, undisturbed (both of places and people); idle (of things)
                        • vadVin a leisurely fashion
                        • vadVnegativeidely, in vain, in an irrelevant way
                        • vadNfigurativeidle; irrelevant; (not pertaining to a substance)
                        • vt(+V[0])have the leisure to perform the contextually determinate action V
                        • =閒PEACEFUL
                          • vadNpeaceful
                    • =嫺SEXY
                      • viSima Xiangru: refined and attractive

                    Additional information about 閑

                    說文解字: 【閑】，止也。从木、門。 〔小徐本「㯕」字之後有此字。唐寫本木部殘卷「門」上有「歫」。〕 〖按：「閑」亦見于「門部」。〗

                      Criteria
                    • STABLE

                      1. Láo 牢 is perhaps the most general term for a stable for any animals, but it appears that the term specifically referred to pens without roofs. [The word occurs already in oracle bone inscriptions where it most probably refers to the oxen or sheep raised in pens and then used for sacrifices. The character shows a cow or a sheep within rectangular pen or stable with narrow exit which is similar in shape to the stable known from Han models. [WANG 1993: 195; SUN 1991: 212; JGJWZD 1993: 60 - 61; ill.: SUN 1991: 53-2]

                      2. Juàn 圈 is a stable for animals, especially sheep and dogs. [(WANG 1993: 195). Dog and sheep stables known from Han models are usually very small: SUN 1991: 212 - 214; ill.: SUN 1991: 53-3, 53-6; HAYASHI 1976: pp. 63, tab. 4-17]

                      3. Jiù 廄 is the current term for horse stables. [(WANG 1993: 195). Horses were usually under central control, and from Han times there are official seals with titles such us director of horse stables etc.. [SUN 1991: 212 - 214; ill.: SUN 1991: 53-9]

                      4. Zào 皂 is occasionally used for horse or cattle stables.

                      5. Lì 櫪 is a current word for horse stables. The word usually refers to the horse trough, but by extension also to the stable.

                      6. Hùn 溷／圂 is a pigsty. The pigsty was in Han times at the same time used as a toilet. [WANG 1993: 195; SUN 1991: 212; ill.: SUN 1991: 53-4; HAYASHI 1976: pp. 63, tab. 4-16]

                      7. Jiàn 檻 is a pen used to keep wild animals in captivity.

                      8. Shí 塒 refers to a chicken pen, and the word occurs already in SHIJING. This is known from one Han model which shows the wall with four holes, with one chicken or duck whithin each. [SUN 1991: 215; XIANG 1997: 573]

                      9. Xián 閑 is another word for horse stable. [HANYU DACIDIAN 1992: vol. 12: pp. 69]

                      Jié 桀 refers to the wooden STAKE for chicken; the word is known already from SHJING: SUN 1991: 215; XIANG 1997: 305; SUN 1991: 53-8; HAYASHI 1976: pp. 63, tab. 4-22]

                    • LEISURE

                      1. The current general term for the period of time not occupied by working is xián 閒 (ant. QIMIN YAOSHU 忙 "busy").

                      2. Xiá 暇 refers specifically to the time of leisure between working spells.

                      3. Jià 假 refers to an extended period free from official obligations, a holiday, and the word is marginal in this group.

                      4. Yóu 游 / 遊 refers to the leisure-activities during one's free time.

                      5. Kòng 空 refers abstractly to unoccupied time as such.

                      6. Xián 嫻 / 閑 refers specifically to the kind of free and easy attitude one has during one's free time, but also to the work-free nature of something, and the word is often used as an adjective.

                      7. Yàn 燕 and yàn 宴 refers to leisure time with a special focus on this time as an occasion for pleasure and enjoyment, often including food and music.

                      Word relations
                    • Ant: (BROAD)陋/NARROW Lòu 陋 (ant.* kuò 闊 "in grand style") refers only indirectly to narrowness e.g. of a street as an indication of its undistinguished character. The word focusses on this undistinguished character and is quite marginal in this group.