蘭

by phonetic loan, also used to transcribe “-land” in foreign country names (e.g., Holland, Finland, Poland).

A phono-semantic compound:

艸 (“grass, plant”) — semantic element, indicating plants/flowers

闌 (lan, “bar, railing”) — phonetic element, provides sound

Originally denoted the orchid, highly prized in Chinese culture for its elegance and fragrance.

蘭草 (난초) — orchid grass

蘭花 (난화) — orchid flower

蘭室 (난실) — an orchid chamber; metaphor for a refined place

蘭友 (난우) — intimate friend, like the fragrance of orchids shared among companions

蘭若 (란야) — Sanskrit loan (araṇya), “forest hermitage,” used in Buddhist texts

Used in country names by phonetic loan for “-land”:

• 和蘭 (화란) — Holland (Netherlands)

• 波蘭 (파란) — Poland

• 芬蘭 (핀란) — Finland

Popular in female names in East Asia: in Japan (蘭, Ran) and in Korea (蘭, Ran). Example: 장미란 (Chang Mi-ran).

Orchids (蘭) symbolize refinement, purity, and friendship in Chinese and Korean classical literature, often paired with 梅 (plum), 竹 (bamboo), 菊 (chrysanthemum) as the “Four Gentlemen” (Four Noble Ones) (四君子).

In Japanese character sets, 蘭 is sometimes written with 東 instead of 柬 inside 門, following the same simplification as in 錬, 練, 欄. Thus:

• Chinese form: 艸部 15 strokes (total 20 strokes)

• Japanese form: 艸部 16 strokes (total 19 strokes)

In Japan, 蘭学 (rangaku, “Dutch studies”) referred to Western learning introduced through the Netherlands during the Edo period.

Cultural notes:

In Confucian tradition, 蘭 symbolizes the gentleman’s refined virtue: beautiful but not showy, fragrant yet modest. Confucius praised the orchid as a model for noble friendship — flourishing even in seclusion.

In Daoism, 蘭 reflects the hidden power of natural beauty: thriving in valleys and forests, away from the crowd, embodying the Daoist value of simplicity and quiet strength.

In literary symbolism, orchids often represent loyalty, friendship, and elegance. Phrases like 蘭友 (“orchid friend”) mean a companion of refined character.