<blockquote>
<p>Why does 干脆 have 干 in it?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>干脆 （词语概念）<br />
干脆 （word concept）<br />
• 干脆，指爽快；索性。<br />
• 干脆, refers to refreshing; simply<br />
• 副词，表示动作行为直截了当，不拖泥带水。<br />
• adverb, expresses action or behaviour direct and to the point, not sloppy, not indecisive.</p>
<p>A basic meaning of 干脆 is therefore refreshing, 爽快.</p>
<p>Many times we do not say things directly，because we do not want to 丢脸, or we do not want to offend.</p>
<p>Upon hearing someone say directly what he or she is thinking, people may have then thought:</p>
<p>&quot;It is refreshing to hear someone speak frankly, to hear someone speak directly. &quot;</p>
<p>干巴：dry, wizened<br />
因脱水而收缩变硬大 豆荚 儿都晒干巴了<br />
Due to dehydration, soybean pods shrink and harden in the sunlight.<br />
皮肤因缺脂肪而显得皱缩,不光滑 ∶。<br />
The skin, due to lack of fat, appears wrinkled and uneven.<br />
皱缩起来或被皱缩起来人老了,皮肤就干巴了。<br />
Wrinkle, or be wrinkled: as people age, the skin dries up (and wrinkles.)</p>
<p>Thus 干脆 may be understood as:  干巴清脆</p>
<p>干：干巴：shrivelled, in the context of speech: few words, not long, not: 拖泥带水<br />
清脆：sharp and clear</p>
<p><em>crisp</em> does not just mean: <em>brittle</em>.</p>
<p>(crisp: from Latin crispus &quot;curled, wrinkled, having curly hair,&quot; crisp later came to mean <em>brittle</em>, no one is sure why.</p>
<p>crisp: having a fresh appearance, neat, brisk. These meanings coincide with 清脆. A <em>morning</em> may also be <em>crisp</em>, meaning <em>fresh and cool</em>.)</p>
<p>In English we also speak of dry humour, which we may describe as: succinct and subtle repartee. <em>dry</em> here indicates <em>briefness</em>.</p>
<p>Don't think of 干 as only having the meaning <em>dry</em>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-09T06:57:03.857Z
2024-11-09T06:57:03.857Z
Pedroski
<p><strong>干脆</strong> = dry and crispy (a metaphor for <strong>decisive</strong> manner)</p>
<p>Breaking soft and moist things is messy, and sometimes a struggle. Imagine trying to snap a wet towel in half (it is not quick and water goes everywhere). Your action appears stalling and indecisive</p>
<p>dry and crispy things snap easily --&gt; decisive</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-05T21:44:02.713Z
It interesting how juxtaposing (并列) of two characters help us imagine and form an in our mind. Really shows how creative Chinese can be with metaphors.
Zorua Kuma
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-05T20:06:41.070Z
2024-11-05T20:19:48.327Z
2024-11-05T20:19:48.327Z
Tang Ho
<p>I came across the sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>既然都变成这样了 那就... 干脆...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Basing on context, <strong>干脆</strong> is used to express the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>No chance but to... (毫无选择/只好这么做)</li>
<li>Might as well... (还不如)</li>
<li>Directly (直接)</li>
</ul>
<p>However, upon searching up the meaning of &quot;<strong>干脆</strong>&quot;, it gave me the meaning of &quot;fast, quickly&quot; (爽快；索性).</p>
<p>This could be curious, why does <strong>干(dry)</strong> combine with <strong>脆(fragile)</strong> becomes &quot;quickly done&quot;?</p>
<p>For 脆, it could relates to being fragile, like something is easily pass through, this could relates to <em>being quick</em>. However, I am not sure how 干 relates to be quick, as it means dry.</p>
<hr />
<p>Upon searching up the traditional word for <strong>干</strong>, it looks like 乾坤. Which has two pronunciation, <strong>qian</strong> and <strong>gan</strong>.</p>
<p>When using <strong>qian</strong>, <strong>乾</strong> means &quot;Sky/Heaven&quot;.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>乾坤 means the same thing as 天地. With 乾 meaning 天 and 坤 meaning 地.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When it's <strong>gan</strong>, it just means dry, lacking water.</p>
<hr />
<p>Some say that 干脆 relates to 不拖泥带水. As in doing something task fast and straightforwardly.</p>
<p>I am wondering how does combing <strong>dry</strong> and <strong>fragile</strong> becomes <strong>straightforward and just do it.</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-06T01:22:27.467Z
In face, Simplified Chinese is still using the word `乾隆`(Qián-Lóng) .
James
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-06T01:24:57.433Z
And the Simplified Chinese: `干` might be the traditional `乾`, `干` or `幹` .
James
<meaning><characters><traditional-characters><expressions>
Why does "干脆" has the "干" in it?
# Why does "干脆" has the "干" in it?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-05)

I came across the sentence:

> 既然都变成这样了 那就... 干脆...

Basing on context, **干脆** is used to express the following:

* No chance but to... (毫无选择/只好这么做)
* Might as well... (还不如)
* Directly (直接)

However, upon searching up the meaning of "**干脆**", it gave me the meaning of "fast, quickly" (爽快；索性).

This could be curious, why does **干(dry)** combine with **脆(fragile)** becomes "quickly done"?

For 脆, it could relates to being fragile, like something is easily pass through, this could relates to *being quick*. However, I am not sure how 干 relates to be quick, as it means dry.

---

Upon searching up the traditional word for **干**, it looks like 乾坤. Which has two pronunciation, **qian** and **gan**.

When using **qian**, **乾** means "Sky/Heaven".

> 乾坤 means the same thing as 天地. With 乾 meaning 天 and 坤 meaning 地.

When it's **gan**, it just means dry, lacking water.

---

Some say that 干脆 relates to 不拖泥带水. As in doing something task fast and straightforwardly.

I am wondering how does combing **dry** and **fragile** becomes **straightforward and just do it.**

**Tags:** meaning, characters, traditional-characters, expressions

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: In face, Simplified Chinese is still using the word `乾隆`(Qián-Lóng) .  
> **username_1**: And the Simplified Chinese: `干` might be the traditional `乾`, `干` or `幹` .  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-11-05. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

**干脆** = dry and crispy (a metaphor for **decisive** manner)

Breaking soft and moist things is messy, and sometimes a struggle. Imagine trying to snap a wet towel in half (it is not quick and water goes everywhere). Your action appears stalling and indecisive

dry and crispy things snap easily --> decisive

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: It interesting how juxtaposing (并列) of two characters help us imagine and form an in our mind. Really shows how creative Chinese can be with metaphors.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-11-09. Score: 2

> Why does 干脆 have 干 in it?

干脆 （词语概念）  
干脆 （word concept）  
• 干脆，指爽快；索性。  
• 干脆, refers to refreshing; simply  
• 副词，表示动作行为直截了当，不拖泥带水。  
• adverb, expresses action or behaviour direct and to the point, not sloppy, not indecisive.

A basic meaning of 干脆 is therefore refreshing, 爽快.

Many times we do not say things directly，because we do not want to 丢脸, or we do not want to offend.

Upon hearing someone say directly what he or she is thinking, people may have then thought:

"It is refreshing to hear someone speak frankly, to hear someone speak directly. "

干巴：dry, wizened  
因脱水而收缩变硬大 豆荚 儿都晒干巴了  
Due to dehydration, soybean pods shrink and harden in the sunlight.  
皮肤因缺脂肪而显得皱缩,不光滑 ∶。  
The skin, due to lack of fat, appears wrinkled and uneven.  
皱缩起来或被皱缩起来人老了,皮肤就干巴了。  
Wrinkle, or be wrinkled: as people age, the skin dries up (and wrinkles.)

Thus 干脆 may be understood as: 干巴清脆

干：干巴：shrivelled, in the context of speech: few words, not long, not: 拖泥带水  
清脆：sharp and clear

*crisp* does not just mean: *brittle*.

(crisp: from Latin crispus "curled, wrinkled, having curly hair," crisp later came to mean *brittle*, no one is sure why.

crisp: having a fresh appearance, neat, brisk. These meanings coincide with 清脆. A *morning* may also be *crisp*, meaning *fresh and cool*.)

In English we also speak of dry humour, which we may describe as: succinct and subtle repartee. *dry* here indicates *briefness*.

Don't think of 干 as only having the meaning *dry*.


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