缘

緣
yuán
noun #8,076

Meanings

  1. 1 cause
  2. 2 fate
  3. 3 edge
  4. 4 along

Examples

HSK 3
Bié bǎ bēizi fàng zài zhuōzi biānyuán.
Don't put the cup on the edge of the table.
HSK 4
Wǒmen néng chéngwéi péngyou, zhēn shì yuánfèn.
It really is fate that we became friends.

Tips

usage
纟 (silk) - the invisible thread of fate connecting people.

Components

radical
纟 sī
silk; thread (radical form of 糸)
Silk-thread radical on the left - the side-form of 糸. Indexes 缘 in the cord family with 线 line, 绳 rope. Originally 缘 named the silk binding sewn along the edge of a garment; from "hem" came "edge, border" and the famous metaphysical sense of fated connection.
phonetic
彖 tuàn
judgment; running pig
Right side 彖 supplies the sound through a major drift: tuàn → yuán. 彖 pictures a wild boar in motion and is rare on its own - best known from the I-Ching where it labels judgment commentaries. Pure phonetic role; its imagery has no part in 缘分.

Stroke Order

缘 yuán