还
surname Huan; still; still in progress; still more; yet; even more; in addition; fairly; passably (good); as early as; even; also; else; to pay back; to return
Closest English meanings
still·return·also·give back
The Calligrapher — Hè Zhīzhāng 贺知章
Tang poet-calligrapher celebrated for his cursive inscriptions.
Tang calligrapher (659–744), master of cursive script — known for 《孝经》. Tang dynasty
Cultural Story
The character wears two hats: huán means to give back, hái means still. Wang Changling's vow — 'until Loulan is broken, we shall not return' — and He Zhizhang's old man coming home made huánxiang, returning to one's village, a classic image of Chinese poetry.
Common words & phrases
- 还是 still · nevertheless · or
- 还有 also · still have · moreover
- 归还 return · give back · restore
- 还原 restore · reduce · revert
- 还乡 return home · go back native
- 还书 return a book · give back book
Read the story behind the character
In daily speech hái is everywhere: 'háishi (still) raining?' you sigh, 'hái you (moreover) traffic.' The other face endures too — guiuan (return what you borrowed), huanyuan (restore old data), huanshu (return a book) to the library before fines stack up, and someday, huánxiang (return home) to the ancestral town.
Own this character
Purchase delivers the original SVG of this glyph, brushed by Hè Zhīzhāng 贺知章, ready to place on skin, paper, or screen.