概

gài
noun HSK 7-9 #33,164

Meanings

  1. 1 general; approximate
  2. 2 manner; bearing

Examples

HSK 4
Dàgài wǔdiǎn zuǒyòu dào.
We'll arrive around five o'clock.
HSK 7-9
Qǐng shuō yíxià gàikuàng.
Please give an overview of the situation.

Tips

usage
概 appears in 大概 (roughly/probably), 概念 (concept), 概况 (general situation), 概率 (probability), 一概 (all without exception).

Components

radical
木 mù
tree; wood
Left tree radical anchors 概 in the wood family. Originally 概 named the leveling stick of wood that was scraped across the top of a grain measure to give an exact, flush amount - hence the modern meaning 'rough total, general estimate.' Same radical: 板 plank, 枝 branch, 杆 pole, 模 mold.
phonetic
既 jì
already; since
Right side 既 supplies the sound, jì drifting to gài through historical k/j alternation. 既 itself depicts a person turning away from a bowl of food they have already finished - 'already done.' That sense of 'finished, summed up' fits the leveling-stick metaphor of 概: once you have scraped, the count is final.

Stroke Order

概 gài