crown, best, peerless
冠 centers on the idea of a crown or topmost covering, symbolizing something placed above all others. This naturally extends to the sense of being the best or peerless, as a crown marks the highest rank.
冠 combines 冖 (cover) with 元 (head) and 寸 (hand), suggesting a hand placing a covering on the head—a crown. This phono-semantic structure is well established.
The top 冖 is a cover, and below it 元 (head) and 寸 (hand) show a hand placing a crown on a head. This crown makes the wearer the best, peerless among others.
For カン, imagine a can being crowned as the best container: can -> カン, and the can wears a tiny crown on its lid.
traditional cap worn by Shinto clergy and courtiers
crown; diadem
to crown; to cap
coronation; crowning
being covered with water (i.e. in a flood); being submerged; being inundated; flooding
corolla
important ceremonial occasions in family relationships
laurels; garland
coronary artery
young person; young servant; young man come of age (at 16)
uncrowned; without rank
cockscomb; comb; crest
article
winner of triple crown
twenty years of age
coronary; coronal; coronate
gold crown (tooth)
definite article
laurel wreath
to crown; to cap