How to Write 奸 (jiān) — Meaning “Treacherous / Evil”

Imagine a woman (女) doing a bad deed, like giving a "dry" handshake (干) while secretly plotting against you. The "dry" handshake feels cold and untrustworthy, reminding you of treachery. This visual connects the two parts to the meaning "evil."

The radical 女 on the left is written with three strokes: a left-slanting stroke, then a right-curving stroke, and finally a horizontal stroke that passes through them. The right part 干 is simpler: horizontal, horizontal, then a vertical stroke. Keep the left part slightly narrower and shorter than the right part to maintain balance.

奸 has the right side 干 (dry/do), while 奴 (nú, slave) has the right side 又 (hand) and 奶 (nǎi, milk/breast) has the right side 乃 (nai). Visually, 奸's right side has a horizontal line crossing the vertical stroke, 奴 has a cross shape with a hook, and 奶 has a curved stroke. Meaning-wise, 奸 is negative (evil), 奴 refers to a servant, and 奶 means milk or grandmother.

奸 appears in words like 奸商 (unscrupulous merchant) and 奸笑 (sinister smile), describing dishonest or evil behavior. It is a strong negative term and not used lightly in daily conversation. In Chinese culture, calling someone a 奸细 (spy) implies betrayal, which is a serious accusation.

Common words containing 奸 include: 奸商 (jiān shāng) — Unscrupulous merchant; 奸笑 (jiān xiào) — Sinister smile; 奸细 (jiān xì) — Spy.