权

• Pinyin: quán
• Hanzi breakdown: 权 = 木 (wood) + 雚 (phonetic) — originally a tree type, borrowed for 'power'

Meaning

Right; power; authority. The capacity or entitlement to do something.

A highly productive character appearing in many compounds: 权力 (power), 权利 (rights), 人权 (human rights), 版权 (copyright), 权威 (authority). As a standalone word, can mean power, rights, or authority depending on context.

Examples

1. 每个公民都有选举权和被选举权。 Every citizen has the right to vote and the right to be elected.
2. 他在公司拥有很大的决策权。 He has great decision-making power in the company.
3. 保护知识产权是促进创新的重要手段。 Protecting intellectual property rights is an important means of promoting innovation.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, political, business

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 这是你的权。(This is your right.)
• 谁有这个权？(Who has this authority?)

Don't Say

• 注意区分'权力'和'权利' (权力 quánlì means power/authority; 权利 quánlì means rights/entitlement — same pronunciation, different meanings)

Origin & History

The character 权 originally depicted a type of tree, but was borrowed for its sound to mean 'power' or 'authority.' The modern character combines 木 (wood) with 雚 (phonetic).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal