GAN-1

('gan' in the first tone)

There are two independent characters which, when integrated into more complicated characters, function as sound-determining elements: 干 and 甘.

The most frequently encountered 'gan' spoken words are:

惑 = gan(3) = to  feel

干 = gan(1) = dry

干 = gan(1) = dry

In the fourth tone, the same character means: to do

干 should not be confused with 于 = yu(2) = in, on, at. The vertical stroke of 于 ends with a hook; the vertical stroke of 干 has no hook.

干净 = gan(1)jing(4) = clean

*****

肝 = gan(1) = liver

The two-character version is:

肝脏 = gan(1)zang(4) = liver

脏 = zang(4) = internal organs

The same character spoken in the first tone:

脏 = zang(1) = dirty

*****

甘 = gan(1) = sweet

Another word for 'sweet' is:

甜 = tian(2) = sweet

This character is a combination of  the character for 'tongue', 舌 = she(2), and the old character for 'sweet', 甘 = gan(1).

Often the two character are used together:

甘甜 = gan(1)tian(2) = sweet