àn

(legal) case

incident; record; file; table

peace (安) + wood (木) = the table where cases are filed

木 grounds the meaning in a physical wooden surface — a desk or table where documents were laid out. Over time, the cases and records placed on that table gave the character its legal and administrative senses.

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PeacePhonetic
WoodSemantic

警察正在调查这个件。

jǐng chá zhèng zài diào chá zhè ge àn jiàn。

The police are currently investigating this case.

法官仔细看了所有的卷。

fǎ guān zǐ xì kàn le suǒ yǒu de àn juàn。

The judge carefully read through all the case files.

Words with 案

图案

tú àn

design; pattern

专案

zhuān àn

project

遗案

yí àn

unsolved case (law)

边角案例

biān jiǎo àn lì

(engineering) corner case

都更案

dū gēng àn

urban development project

医案

yī àn

case history (TCM)

重案

zhòng àn

major case

销案

xiāo àn

to close a case

错案

cuò àn

a misjudged legal case

香案

xiāng àn

incense burner table

骗案

piàn àn

scam

不信任案

bù xìn rèn àn

no-confidence motion

More characters with 安