Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

official; government

Chinese: 官员、官方或器官。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “guan” becomes a different word in each tone. 官 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 法官fǎ guānjudge (in court)
  • 官方guān fānggovernment; official (approved or issued by an authority)
  • 器官qì guān(physiology) organ; apparatus
  • 外交官wài jiāo guāndiplomat
  • 官员guān yuánofficial (in an organization or government); administrator

Example Sentence

他是一位公正的法官。Tā shì yí wèi gōng zhèng de fǎ guān.He is a fair judge.

heshìisonewèiposition公正gōng zhèngjustdeof法官fǎ guānjudge (in court)

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

宀 (roof) over 㠯 (a mass of people/seals): the office under the state's roof — ‘an official, officer; the government, public; an organ (of the body)’ (官员, 器官, 五官).

A way to remember it

‘An official’; and ‘an organ’ (of the body): 官员, 器官.