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棺: coffin

By February 10, 2014March 7th, 2014Chinese Word, Japanese Word, Language-Learning
 

棺 guān

noun
: coffin

Kun Reading

ひつぎ hitsugi

noun
: coffin; casket

On Reading

かん kan

noun
: coffin; casket

 Usage:

棺材 guan1cai: coffin
棺木 guan1mu4: coffin
棺材瓤子 guan1cai rang2zi: geezer with one foot in the grave (used jokingly or as an imprecation)
甕[瓮]棺 weng4guan1: funerary urn
石棺 shi2guan1: sarcophagus



Japanese expression / idiom
棺を蓋いて事定まる | かんをおおいてことさだまる kan o ooite kotosadamaru
: a person’s worth is assessed only when their coffin is sealed



Chinese idiom /proverb
蓋棺論定 [盖棺论定] gai4 guan1 lun4 ding4
: definitive conclusion on the coffin lid: You can only judge a person’s merits or demerits after death. Don’t pass judgment until you’ve seen the end

不見棺材不落淚 [不见棺材不落泪] bu4 jian4 guan1 cai5 bu4 luo4 lei4
: lit. not to shed a tear until one sees the coffin: fig. refuse to be convinced until one is faced with grim reality

 Etymology:


形声 Pictophonetic.
(mu4: tree) suggests the meaning while
(guan1: official) provides the sound.



 Examples:
none applicable

Resources: Chinese Dictionary | Japanese Dictionary