欠

contributes the sense of open-mouthed breathing — yawning · Kangxi radical 76

contributes the sense of open-mouthed breathing — yawning, blowing, drinking, sighing — and in many characters just supplies the sound (kǎn, qiàn)

欠 was originally a picture of a person seen from the side with the mouth wide open and a stream of breath rising out of it — in short, someone yawning. In the modern shape the lower part is still the standing figure 人, while the small strokes on top are what is left of the open mouth and the puff of air. You can see that breath at work in 吹 (mouth + 欠, to blow), 饮 (drink), 歔 (snort) and 炊 (blowing up a cooking fire). In a second group of characters — 坎, 砍, 嵌, 芡 — 欠 has lost its picture value and is there only for the sound.

欠 at a glance

Meaning

contributes the sense of open-mouthed breathing — yawning

Strokes

4

Characters

41

Role

Contributes meaning and sound

Kangxi radical

76

Characters with 欠 (32 of 41)

Frequently asked questions