貫

貫 (Kangxi radical 154, 貝+4, 11 strokes, cangjie input 田十月山金 (WJBUC), four-corner 7780₆, composition ⿱毌貝 or ⿱母貝(U+2F9D4))

• 慣, 摜, 樌, 瑻, 罆, 䗰, 謴, 躀, 遦, 鏆, 實
• 𠍿, 𣩔, 𪷈, 𤎽, 𥊫, 𥖏, 𦄻, 𪭖, 𢿒, 𨝑, 𫉜
• 𭑠, 𫿖, 𮚙, 𭀷, 𥸜

• 贯

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1205, character 17
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 36681
• Dae Jaweon: page 1668, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 3628, character 15
• Unihan data for U+8CAB

• Unihan data for U+2F9D4

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *koːn, *koːns): phonetic 毌 (OC *koːn, *koːns) + semantic 貝 – 毌 may also represent string of coins.

to go through, to pierce

Cognate with 窾 (OC *kʰloːnʔ); see there for further etymology

Cognate with Burmese ခွင်း (hkwang:, “to pierce through”).

貫

1. a string of one thousand coins

   • 楊志道：「祖上留下寶刀，要賣三千貫。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     杨志道：「祖上留下宝刀，要卖三千贯。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Shi Nai'an, Water Margin, circa 14^th century CE

     Yáng Zhì dào: “Zǔshàngliúxià bǎodāo, yào mài sānqiān guàn.” [Pinyin]

     Yang Zhi said: "This is a precious sword left by my ancestors; I will sell it for three thousand strings of cash."

2. to go through; to pierce

   • 自始合，而矢貫余手及肘，余折以御，左輪朱殷，豈敢言病？ [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     自始合，而矢贯余手及肘，余折以御，左轮朱殷，岂敢言病？ [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translation from Zuozhuan: Commentary on the "Spring and Autumn Annals" (2017), by Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li and David Schaberg

     Zì shǐ hé, ér shǐ guàn yú shǒu jí zhǒu, yú zhé yǐ yù, zuǒlún zhūyān, qǐ gǎn yán bìng? [Pinyin]

     From the moment the troops clashed, arrows pierced my arm and elbow. I broke them off so as to drive the chariot. The left wheel has turned dark red with blood. Did I dare to speak of my wounds?

   • 子曰：「參乎！吾道一以貫之。」曾子曰：「唯。」子出。門人問曰：「何謂也？」曾子曰：「夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     子曰：「参乎！吾道一以贯之。」曾子曰：「唯。」子出。门人问曰：「何谓也？」曾子曰：「夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

     Zǐyuē: “Shēn hū! Wúdào yī yǐ guàn zhī.” Zēngzǐ yuē: “Wéi.” Zǐ chū. Ménrén wèn yuē: “Héwèi yě?” Zēngzǐ yuē: “Fūzǐ zhī dào, zhōngshù éryǐ yǐ.” [Pinyin]

     The Master said, “Shen, a single thread runs through my doctrine.” Master Zeng said, “Yes.” The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, “What did he mean?” Master Zeng said, “The Master’s doctrine is nothing other than loyalty and empathy.”

3. one's native place

   • 他岳丈名喚封肅，本貫大如州人氏。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     他岳丈名唤封肃，本贯大如州人氏。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Cao Xueqin, Dream of the Red Chamber, mid-18^th century CE

     Tā yuèzhàng míng huàn Fēng Sù, běnguàn Dàrúzhōu rénshì. [Pinyin]

     His father-in-law was a man named Feng Su, whose native place was Daruzhou.

• (Min Nan) “貫”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

貫

1. alternative form of 慣 / 惯 (guàn, “to be accustomed to; to be used to”)

   • 譬如田獵，射御貫，則能獲禽，若未嘗登車射御，則敗績厭覆是懼，何暇思獲？ [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     譬如田猎，射御贯，则能获禽，若未尝登车射御，则败绩厌覆是惧，何暇思获？ [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Pìrú tiánliè, shè yù guàn, zé néng huò qín, ruò wèi cháng dēng chē shè yù, zé bài jì yàn fù shì jù, hé xiá sī huò? [Pinyin]

     Take an example for hunting: if a man is accustomed to shooting and driving, he will then be able to capture birds and animals. But if he has never climbed a carriage to shoot and drive, then the fear of being defeated in his purpose and of being crushed by his overturning carriage will overpower him. How can he spare any time or attention to think of capturing anything?

   • 我不貫與小人乘，請辭。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     我不贯与小人乘，请辞。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Wǒ bùguàn yǔ xiǎorén chéng, qǐng cí. [Pinyin]

     I am not accustomed to drive for a mean man. I beg leave to decline the office.

貫

1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 彎 / 弯 (wān, “to draw a bow”)

• “貫”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• 莆田市荔城区档案馆 [Putian City Licheng District Archives], editor (2022), “贯”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 [Puxian Dialect Literary Reading Dictionary] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 81.

(Jōyō kanji)

1. pierce
2. approximately 3.75 kg (8.33 pounds) (weight)
3. penetrate
4. brace

• Go-on: かん (kan, Jōyō)^{←くわん (kwan, historical)}
• Kan-on: かん (kan, Jōyō)^{←くわん (kwan, historical)}
• On: わん (wan)
• Kun: つらぬく (tsuranuku, 貫く, Jōyō)、ぬき (nuki, 貫)、ぬく (nuku, 貫く)、ひく (hiku, 貫く)
• Nanori: つら (tsura)、つらぬき (tsuranuki)、とおる (tōru)、ぬき (nuki)、やす (yasu)

• (Tokyo) かん [káꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [kã̠ɴ]

貫(かん) • (-kan) ^{←くわん (-kwan)?}

1. pieces of sushi

貫(かん) • (kan) ^{←くわん (kwan)?}

1. (obsolete) unit of measure of weight corresponding to 3.75 kilograms
2. (obsolete) unit of currency

貫(つらぬき) • (tsuranuki) 

1. (footwear) tied leather shoes worn with armour

貫 (eumhun 꿸 관 (kkwel gwan))

1. hanja form^? of 관 (“thread, string”)

貫: Hán Việt readings: quan
貫: Nôm readings: quán, quen

貫

1. chữ Hán form of quan (“(historical) a string of six hundred coins.”)