How to Write 旰 (gàn) — Meaning “late (of the day); sunset”

Imagine the sun (日) is getting low and you are working so hard that you become dry (干) from thirst—it is late in the day. This image of a dry sun at sunset helps link 日 and 干 to the meaning of "late day." The visual of a sun turning into a dry stick can stick in your memory.

ṡThe stroke order starts with the left radical 日 (vertical, then horizontal, then bottom horizontal), followed by the right part 干 (horizontal, horizontal, vertical). A common mistake is making the 日 too wide or the 干 too narrow; keep the left side compact and the right side slightly taller. Also ensure the final vertical stroke of 干 extends clearly below the second horizontal, not stopping at the same level.

旰 (gàn) means "late day" and has 日 on the left and 干 on the right. 旦 (dàn) means "dawn" and shows the sun (日) just above a horizontal line (the horizon), so the sun is rising. 旧 (jiù) means "old" or "former" and has 丨 (a vertical stroke) on the left of 日, not a 干 component. Visually, 旰 has two horizontals on the right, while 旧 has a single vertical line next to the sun.

旰 is rarely used alone in modern everyday Chinese; it appears mainly in formal or literary idioms such as 宵衣旰食 (xiāo yī gàn shí), meaning to work tirelessly from dawn to dusk. This idiom is often used to praise a ruler or leader's diligence. The character carries a classical, scholarly tone and is not found in HSK vocabulary.

Common words containing 旰 include: 旰食 (gàn shí) — to eat late (due to being busy with work); 旰昃 (gàn zè) — from morning till night; working late; 宵衣旰食 (xiāo yī gàn shí) — To work hard from dawn to dusk (diligent in administration).