Character Contained In References Comments
Simplified Traditional Ancient forms Archaic forms
traditional formhandwritten form

Variants
Phonetic
Semantic
Apparent
柬 糸 ⿰糹柬
Mandarin
lian4
English
Definitions
to drill; to train; to practice; to perfect (one's skill); exercise; refine
Mnemonic
Purify (select) 柬 silk 糸
Etymology
Notes
This character originally meant to purify silk by boiling; compare 鍊 and 煉; the idea of purifying oneself by practice and exercise was an early metanym