cán

injure

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
歹 meaning component

  Meaning component

dǎi

  

evil, bad

戔 sound component

  Sound component

jiān

  

small

Evolution

殘 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
殘 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

cán

injure, spoil; oppress; broken; to destroy; to spoil; to ruin; to injure; cruel; oppressive; savage; brutal; incomplete; disabled; to remain; to survive; remnant; surplus

Most common words with 殘
Freq.
Word
Meaning

to destroy

残忍

cruel

残酷

cruel

残疾人

disabled person

残留

to remain