干

According to Shuowen Jiezi, the character is a compound ideograph formed from an upside-down 入 and a horizontal stroke 一, symbolizing the meaning “to commit a crime.”

There are also interpretations that see it as a pictograph of a weapon and shield.

Historically, together with the twelve earthly branches (地支 dìzhī), it formed the Ganzhi (干支 gānzhǐ) system used to count days and years — see also the ten heavenly stems (天干 tiāngān).

In China, 干 is used as the simplified form of 乾 (meaning “dry”).

However, 干 is only used for the meaning “to dry,” whereas the meaning “heaven” still uses the full form 乾, pronounced qián.

It is also used as the simplified form of 幹 (meaning “stem” or “main part”).