tān
greedy
Depicts a mouth (今) facing a shell (貝). In ancient China, shells were used as currency. 今 also represents the sound.
Evolution
Oracle script
(~1250-1000 BC)
Seal script
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical script
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)Regular script
ModernDefinitions
Most common words with 貪
Freq. | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
avaricious | ||
to covet | ||
to be corrupt | ||
greedy | ||
corrupt official |
Sources