耽
dān
indulge; delay
At a glance · 耽

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Evolution of the glyph

Five stages, from a sketch of the real object to regular script — tap a stage, drag the timeline, or play the animation.

耽 Evolution of the glyph
  1. 耽 Object sketch
    Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seen
  2. 耽 Oracle bone
    Oracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCE
  3. 耽 Seal script
    Seal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCE
  4. 耽 Clerical script
    Clerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CE
  5. 耽 Regular script
    Regular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE
Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seenOracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCESeal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCEClerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CERegular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

⚠ Some ancient forms are not attested:oracle bone form、seal script form。No excavated oracle bone / seal artifact is attested for this character yet; we leave it blank rather than fabricate.

小篆从耳,冘声,本义为耳大下垂,引申为沉溺、迟延。形声清晰。

What the sketch shows

耽 Object sketch

Origins & notes

本义为耳垂,引申为沉溺、延误。

Structure

形声字,从耳(意符),冘(yín)为声符。

At a glance

Pinyindān
Radical耳
Strokes10
UnicodeU+803D
Character type形声
Theme状态

Six languages, one character

Each page offers hreflang versions; switching language keeps the glyphs and meanings aligned.

English indulge; delay To indulge in; also to delay.
Français se plonger; retarder Se plonger dans ; aussi retarder.
Español deleitarse; retrasar Deleitarse en; también retrasar.
العربية ينغمس؛ يؤخر ينغمس في؛ ويُستعار للتأخير.
Русский погружаться; задерживать Погружаться во что-то; также задерживать.

Common words

  • 耽dānindulge
  • 耽误dān wùdelay