简 jiǎn simple
simple; brief; concise
How to remember 简: 𥫗 bamboo + 间 room = simple. The designer's new flat has one bamboo chair in an empty white room, and she calls it beautifully simple.
Component breakdown
简 = 𥫗 bamboo + 间 room
- 𥫗 bamboo
- 间 room
- 门 door
- 日 sun
The designer's new flat has one bamboo chair in an empty white room, and she calls it beautifully simple.
How it is used
- Sense of simple/brief - 简单 (jiǎndān) simple, 简短 (jiǎnduǎn) brief, 简化 (jiǎnhuà) to simplify.
- 简直 (jiǎnzhí) is a common intensifier 'simply/downright': 简直不敢相信 (jiǎnzhí bù gǎn xiāngxìn) simply unbelievable.
- 简历 (jiǎnlì) = a résumé/CV; 简介 (jiǎnjiè) = a brief introduction/synopsis.
- Originally 'bamboo slip' (writing surface), which is why it also means concise.
Words with 简
- 简单jiǎndānsimpleHSK 3
- 简历jiǎnlìcurriculum vitae (CV)HSK 5
- 简直jiǎnzhísimplyHSK 5
- 简介jiǎnjièsummaryHSK 6
- 简化jiǎnhuàto simplifyHSK 6
- 简体字jiǎntǐzìsimplified Chinese character, as opposed to traditional Chinese character 繁体字HSK 7
- 简易jiǎnyìsimple and easyHSK 7
- 简短jiǎnduǎnbrief (statement, summary etc)HSK 7
- 简练jiǎnliànterseHSK 7
- 简要jiǎnyàoconciseHSK 7
- 精简jīngjiǎnto simplifyHSK 7
- 简洁jiǎnjiéconciseHSK 9
- 简称jiǎnchēngto be abbreviated toHSK 9
- 简陋jiǎnlòusimple and crudeHSK 9
Example sentences
- 这些房子的结构很简单。 Zhèixiē fángzi de jiégòu hěn jiǎndān.The structure of these houses is very simple.