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丱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
丱guàna child's hair bound in two tufts; orex, 5 strokes, radical 丨
丱guàntwo tufts of hairunknown, 5 strokes, radical 丨
丱guànyoungunknown, 5 strokes, radical 丨
丱guànunderageunknown, 5 strokes, radical 丨
丱guànarchaic variant of 礦|矿[kuang4]unknown, 5 strokes, radical 丨
丱kuànga child's hair bound in two tufts; orex, 5 strokes, radical 丨
丱kuàngtwo tufts of hairunknown, 5 strokes, radical 丨
丱kuàngyoungunknown, 5 strokes, radical 丨
丱kuàngunderageunknown, 5 strokes, radical 丨
丱kuàngarchaic variant of 礦|矿[kuang4]unknown, 5 strokes, radical 丨
guàn(guan4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1a child's hair bound in two tufts; ore
  2. 2two tufts of hair
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March 24, 2026

丱guàn(guan4)

The character 丱 (guàn) refers to a child's hair styled in two tufts, often symbolizing youth or childhood. It can also denote ore in an archaic context, relating to mining or minerals. This character is less commonly used in modern Mandarin and is often seen in historical texts.

Strokes5Radical丨
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, hairstyles often signify a person's age or status, especially for children, where styles like 丱 represent innocence and playfulness. This connection highlights the importance of childhood in cultural narratives.

Memory Tip

Imagine a child with two pigtails sticking out like tufts of grass. The character 丱 looks like a simplified representation of these two tufts, and the pronunciation 'guàn' can remind you of 'growing' hair.

Meanings of 丱

guàn(guan4)
primary
1a child's hair bound in two tufts; ore
2two tufts of hair
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 丱

丱Simplified
5Strokes
丨Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 丱

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Podcast: 丱

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AI Study Notes for 丱

Usage Notes

This character is quite rare in contemporary usage, making it more of a literary or historical term. Be cautious with its pronunciation and context, as modern discussions about hair or youth typically use more common terms. Collocations might include phrases related to childhood or hair styles.

HSK Study Tips

Since this character does not appear on any HSK lists, learners should focus on its historical significance and connection to childhood imagery rather than practical usage. It may be beneficial to compare it with other HSK vocabulary related to youth or hair.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 丱 with common characters related to hair or youth, such as 发 (fà). Remember that 丱 specifically refers to the style of hair in two tufts, not general hair or youth.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 丱

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Etymology of 丱

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

Pictograph of a child's hairstyle with two tufts.

Memory Hint

Two braids 丱 of hair

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 丱

Pictograph of a child's hairstyle with two tufts.

  1. 1The giveawayTwo braids 丱 of hair
  2. 2On the record aspictographic — someone drew the thing itself.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 丱? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 丱?

Decomposition of 丱

IDS Structure⿰丩？
丱Full Character
=
丩jiu1
left
Exercise 1 of 1

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 丱?

How to say a child's hair bound in two tufts; ore in Chinese

“a child's hair bound in two tufts; ore” in Chinese is丱guàn

The character 丱 (guàn) refers to a child's hair styled in two tufts, often symbolizing youth or childhood. It can also denote ore in an archaic context, relating to mining or minerals. This character is less commonly used in modern Mandarin and is often seen in historical texts.

When to use 丱

This character is quite rare in contemporary usage, making it more of a literary or historical term. Be cautious with its pronunciation and context, as modern discussions about hair or youth typically use more common terms. Collocations might include phrases related to childhood or hair styles.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 丱 with common characters related to hair or youth, such as 发 (fà). Remember that 丱 specifically refers to the style of hair in two tufts, not general hair or youth.

Write 丱

丱

Practice writing 丱 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 丱

No, it is rarely used in modern Mandarin and is mostly found in historical texts.

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