緊

Phono-semantic compound consisting of:

糸 (가는실 멱) — semantic component, indicating thread, tension, or connection.

臤 (어질 현 / 강할 견) — phonetic component, providing the sound jǐn / gin and the sense of firmness, strength, or steadfastness.

Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字) glosses:

「緊，急也。从糸臤聲。」

“緊 means urgent or tight; composed of 糸 (thread) and 臤 (phonetic).”

The thread (糸) symbolizes continuity and binding, while 臤 depicts a hand pressing down upon a structure (originally representing firmness or pressure).

Together, they convey the idea of tension or tightening — both physically (to make taut) and abstractly (to make urgent).

緊 (긴) — tight; urgent; strained

緊張 (긴장) — tension; nervousness; strain

緊急 (긴급) — urgent; emergency

緊縮 (긴축) — contraction; austerity; tightening

緊密 (긴밀) — close; intimate; inseparable

緊湊 (긴조) — compact; condensed

緊迫 (긴박) — pressing; tense; imminent

緊要 (긴요) — essential; important

緊閉 (긴폐) — tightly closed; shut

緊固 (긴고) — fastening firmly; consolidation

緊握 (긴악) — firm grasp; strong hold

緊湯 (긴탕) — tautly drawn hot infusion (archaic medical term)

In modern Chinese, 緊 (jǐn) carries multiple senses:

- to tighten — 紮緊 (to tie tightly)

- tense or urgent — 緊急 (urgent), 緊張 (nervous)

- close or intimate — 緊密 (closely connected)

- economically tight — 手頭緊 (short of money).

In Cantonese grammar, 緊 (gan²) serves as a progressive aspect marker, equivalent to Mandarin “正在.”

e.g. 佢食緊飯。— “He is eating.”

This grammatical extension derives from the meaning of continuing, holding, maintaining a state of tension or engagement.

The Kangxi Dictionary (康熙字典) defines:

「緊，急也，堅也。」

“緊 means urgent and firm.”

It also adds:

「事之所急曰緊。」 — “A matter that presses with urgency is called 緊.”

In classical literature, 緊 often connotes emotional or situational tension, as in:

緊急如焚 — “urgent as a burning fire,” describing extreme haste.

情意緊切 — “feelings close and earnest.”

Philosophically, 緊 can represent the balance of firmness and control, the tautness of virtue that resists laxity.

In metaphoric usage, 緊 is often paired with 鬆 (loose) to describe the harmony between tension and relaxation — a theme found in calligraphy and martial arts aesthetics:

「筆緊而不死，鬆而不散。」

“The brush must be tight yet alive, loose yet not scattered.”

緊 unites the imagery of thread (糸) — continuity, connection, and flexibility — with firmness (臤) — strength and resistance.

It expresses tension both physical and moral, whether a string pulled taut, a schedule pressed by urgency, or emotions drawn tight within restraint.

Across East Asian usage, 緊 embodies the principle of controlled tension — firmness without rigidity, urgency without panic, closeness without constraint.