Translation and Meaning of: 欄 - ran

The Japanese word 「欄」, read as "ran" in romaji, is a term that carries multiple meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Etymologically, the kanji 「欄」 is composed of two elements: the radical 「木」 which means "tree" or "wood," and the phonetic part 「闌」, which contributes to the sound. This kanji is often used to convey the sense of something related to "separation" or "area."

In the Japanese language, 「欄」 has various uses, such as in “新聞欄” (shinbunran), which refers to a column in a newspaper; “空欄” (kuuran), referring to a blank or empty space; and “備考欄” (bikouran), which indicates the remarks section in forms. This highlights how the meaning of 「欄」 can adapt to different forms of media and written documentation, being a well-defined category or section.

Historically, the use of 「欄」 dates back to a time when information was systematically recorded, especially in istrative or educational contexts. The idea of well-organized and categorized sections reflects the circulation of information in an orderly and accessible manner. Consequently, the kanji has come to generally represent places designated for information or lists, and it is even present in modern digital interfaces.

Interestingly, the use of 「欄」 also symbolizes physical structures, especially in ancient contexts where wooden separations and grids in Japanese constructions were common. The symbolic relationship with organization and separation, therefore, transcends mere writing, touching upon traditional architectural aspects.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 列 (Retu) - Queue; line
• 行 (Gyō) - Action of going; line
• 一列 (Ichiretsu) - A queue; a line
• 一行 (Ichigyō) - A line; a line of text
• 列挙 (Rekkyō) - Enumerate; list
• 列目 (Remoku) - Queue position; queue number
• 列数 (Retsusū) - Number of rows
• 列車 (Ressha) - Trains; railway vehicles
• 列島 (Rettō) - Archipelago; chain of islands
• 列挙する (Rekkyō suru) - Make a list; enumerate
• 列席 (Ressseki) - Participation in a meeting; presence
• 列儀 (Retsugi) - Protocol; formal ceremony
• 列強 (Rekkyo) - Powers; powerful countries
• 列国 (Rettoku) - Nations; countries
• 列伝 (Retsuden) - Biography; About a person
• 列外 (Retsugai) - Out of the list; exact
• 列挙者 (Rekkyōsha) - Enumerator; the one who lists
• 列車番号 (Ressha bangō) - Train number
• 列挙法 (Rekkyōhō) - Enumeration method
• 列挙すること (Rekkyō suru koto) - List action
• 列挙調査 (Rekkyō chōsa) - Listing research
• 列挙式 (Rekkyōshiki) - Form or method of listing
• 列挙表 (Rekkyōhyō) - Listing table
• 列挙数 (Rekkyōsū) - Number of listed items
• 列挙順 (Rekkyōjun) - Listing order
• 列挙的 (Rekkyōteki) - Relative to enumerating; classificatory
• 列挙権 (Rekkyōken) - Right to list
• 列挙者名簿 (Rekkyōsha meibo) - List of enumerators
• 列挙結果 (Rekkyō kekka) - Listing results
• 列挙機関 (Rekkyō kikan) - Organization of listing
• 列挙票 (Rekkyōhyō) - Listing form
• 列挙方法 (Rekkyō hōhō) - Listing format
• 列挙対象 (Rekkyō taishō) - Items for listing

```