Architectural term for a railing, handrail, or balustrade, often found on bridges, balconies, or staircases.
Only when written 高欄
Refers specifically to the armrest of a chair; written only with 高欄.
I leaned on the bridge railing and looked at the river.
The temple stairs are fitted with an elaborate balustrade.
The armrests of this chair are wooden and comfortable.
高欄 is a more specialized architectural term for a decorative balustrade in traditional buildings, bridges, and shrines, whereas 欄干 is the general word for a railing.
Standard kanji spelling for both the architectural railing and the chair armrest senses.
Variant kanji form for the architectural railing sense; less common than 高欄.
Rare variant kanji form for the architectural railing sense.
Composed of 高 (high) and 欄 (railing, column). The spelling 勾欄 uses 勾 (hook, curve) and 鉤欄 uses 鉤 (hook), both likely reflecting the curved or hooked shape of traditional railings.