The kanji 典 primarily conveys the meanings of "ceremony," "rule," "law," "classic," and "model." It suggests a sense of established order, tradition, and authoritative standards. It implies something that serves as a guide or a standard to follow.

・On-yomi (音読み): テン (ten) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): None, or rarely used in isolation

⚫︎ 古典 (koten) Translation: Classic literature; classical works ⚫︎ 辞典 (jiten) Translation: Dictionary; reference book ⚫︎ 典礼 (tenrei) Translation: Ceremony; rite; ritual

The kanji 典 is a pictographic character. It originally depicted a ceremonial book or a scroll. The top part represents the hands holding something, and the bottom part represents the book or document. Over time, it evolved to represent the concepts of ceremony, rule, and standard due to the importance of rituals and laws in ancient societies. The image of holding a book symbolizes the authority and significance of the contents within.