彈 (tán/dàn) — to pluck, flick, spring back; (dàn) noun

entries → 彈

TSUMUGU · B1 (est.) · 字

彈 character · B1 (est.)

彈＝弓＋單

ㄊㄢˊ · tán/dàn

verb — to pluck, flick, spring back; (dàn) noun — a pellet, bullet, shell

字源 FORM — what the parts do

弓義a bow — the thing that springs

單聲dān — gives the sounda forked pole with two stones bound to the ends — a sling, a simple weapon

Tdān → tán — the tone moved off the donor (the dàn reading keeps the donor's vowel)

A bow (弓) that throws a pellet rather than an arrow — the original sense is to shoot a round shot; from the snap of the string come both to flick / pluck (tán) and the pellet itself, the bullet, the shell (dàn). 單 carries the sound, the tán reading shifting in tone off the donor. From there: 彈琴、彈性、子彈、炮彈.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

一張弓（弓）扣著一顆圓丸，手指一鬆——彈出去了。

A bow (弓) loaded with a round pellet; the fingers let go — and it springs away.

字源記憶法

意 · Meanings

tán

(本義)彈射、彈開— to shoot (a pellet); to spring, flick常用

→彈琴、彈奏— to pluck, play (an instrument)常用

→彈性— elasticity, springiness

dàn

(本義)子彈、炮彈— a pellet, bullet, shell常用

→彈丸— a small shot, a tiny patch of land

(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension