dàn
only
Original meaning:
bare-chested
Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 旦 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "bare-chested". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
Evolution

Oracle script
(~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze script
Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal script
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical script
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)Regular script
ModernDefinitions
Most common words with 但
Freq. | Word | Meaning |
---|---|---|
but | ||
but | ||
not only (... but also...) | ||
I wish (that) | ||
not only |
Sources