棺

棺 icon

coffin

棺 is composed of 木 (wood) and 官 (official). 官 refers to someone who restrains the people on behalf of the government, implying restriction. Thus, 棺 represents a wooden container used to enclose a corpse, which restricts the escape of odors from the body and prevents other creatures from damaging it.

Vocabulary of 棺

  • 棺槨 (inner and outer coffins)
  • 石棺 (sarcophagus)
  • 蓋棺 (coffin lid)

Related Characters: