函

Tap the pinyin to hear it

envelope; case; letter

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Ideographic compound (会意字)

Letters placed in a container 凵

Components 凵了 ? unknown part

letter · Heisig RSH #2720

了 -ed + sparkler + pit

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
代数函数论	dài shù hán shù lùn	algebraic function theory (math.)
三角函数	sān jiǎo hán shù	trigonometric function
对数函数	duì shù hán shù	logarithmic function
代数函数	dài shù hán shù	(math.) algebraic function
实变函数论	shí biàn hán shù lùn	(math.) theory of functions of a real variable
指数函数	zhǐ shù hán shù	exponential function
复变函数论	fù biàn hán shù lùn	(math.) theory of functions of a complex variable
回调函数	huí diào hán shù	callback function (computing)
实变函数	shí biàn hán shù	function of a real variable (math.)
一次函数	yī cì hán shù	linear function (math.)
复变函数	fù biàn hán shù	function of a complex variable (math.)
二次函数	èr cì hán shù	quadratic function
反函数	fǎn hán shù	inverse function (math.)
周期函数	zhōu qī hán shù	periodic function
波函数	bō hán shù	wave function (in quantum mechanics)
原函数	yuán hán shù	antiderivative
多值函数	duō zhí hán shù	multivalued function (math.)
母函数	mǔ hán shù	generating function (math.)
奇函数	jī hán shù	odd function (math.)
导函数	dǎo hán shù	derived function; derivative f' of a function f

These characters use 函 as their sound component — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
函 sound part	hán	correspondence; a case, a box
涵	hán	to wet, to soak; to tolerate, to include lenient
菡	hàn	lotus blossom