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Characters/Character Families/参
Character Familiestop / bottom

参cān, shēn, cēn, sān

to join; to take part in (参加, 参与); to refer to (参考, 参照); to look in on (a superior) (参见)

参 joins in — take part, consult; read shēn for ginseng, cēn for uneven.

GF0025–2021 character list · 二级
One character pageAll readings and linked senses stay together.

WHOLE GLYPH & STRUCTURE

top / bottom

The header says the formation was originally 形声 for the older 參; the simplified stacked pieces are shown visually without a sound rule.

top / bottom · 参

WHOLE CHARACTER

参cān, shēn, cēn, sān

to join; to take part in (参加, 参与); to refer to (参考, 参照); to look in on (a superior) (参见)

参 joins in — take part, consult; read shēn for ginseng, cēn for uneven.

The header says the formation was originally 形声 for the older 參; the simplified stacked pieces are shown visually without a sound rule.

TOP PIECE (厶)

厶sī

private (an old graph)

An old bound piece used inside several characters; not a standalone modern word.

In 参: top piece (厶) A reduced top piece; no role is claimed.

MIDDLE PIECE (大)

大dà

big; large

A standalone character; kept separate from the unclaimed visual role in 参 and the base-figure role in 天.

In 参: middle piece (大) Shown as the middle piece; no role is claimed.

BOTTOM STRIPE PIECE (彡)

彡shān

hair; the three-stripe radical

The stripe radical; the shade lines in 影's classic account.

In 参: bottom stripe piece (彡) The three-stripe piece at the bottom.

cānTone 1
  • to join; to take part in (参加, 参与)
  • to refer to (参考, 参照)
  • to look in on (a superior) (参见)
  • 参加cānjiāto join; to take part
  • 参考cānkǎoto consult; reference
shēnTone 1
  • ginseng (人参)
  • the star Shen (参商)
  • 人参rénshēnginseng
cēnTone 1only in 参差 (uneven)
  • used in 参差, uneven
  • 参差cēncīuneven; irregular
sānTone 1dictionary: capital form of three, same as 叁
  • capital form of three (同叁)

No common modern word is offered for this reading; the dictionary sense remains in Sources.

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