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唵 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
ǎnto eat with one's hands; used in transliterationszg, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #93095, Very Hard
ǎn(interjection) oh!unknown, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #93095, Very Hard
ǎn(dialect) to stuff sth in one's mouthunknown, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #93095, Very Hard
ǎn(used in buddhist transliterations) omunknown, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #93095, Very Hard
ǎn(an3) T3
  1. 1to eat with one's hands; used in transliterations
  2. 2(interjection) oh!
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
ǎn(an3)

The character 唵 (ǎn) has several meanings, primarily used in specific contexts. It can mean to eat with one's hands or to stuff something into one's mouth, often used in dialects. In Buddhist contexts, it is an interjection akin to 'om', used during meditation or chanting.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#93095DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Buddhist culture, 唵 is significant as it is often used in mantras and is considered a sacred sound that embodies the essence of enlightenment.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person with their hands full of food, exclaiming 'ǎn!' as they stuff their mouth with delicious morsels. The character's form includes the mouth radical (口), signifying eating, which ties to its meaning. Envision this scene to remember both the pronunciation and the core idea of the character.

Meanings of 唵

ǎn(an3)
1to eat with one's hands; used in transliterations
2(interjection) oh!
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 唵

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 唵

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AI Study Notes for 唵

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person with their hands full of food, exclaiming 'ǎn!' as they stuff their mouth with delicious morsels. The character's form includes the mouth radical (口), signifying eating, which ties to its meaning. Envision this scene to remember both the pronunciation and the core idea of the character.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 唵 (ǎn) with similar-sounding characters. It's more commonly used in informal settings or specific dialects rather than formal Mandarin. Be cautious with its pronunciation, especially the third tone, which can be easily mixed up with other tones.

HSK Study Tips

While 唵 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 1 and 2 words related to eating and expressions. Focus on tone practice and incorporate it into your vocabulary about daily activities involving food.

Cultural Note

In Buddhist culture, 唵 is significant as it is often used in mantras and is considered a sacred sound that embodies the essence of enlightenment.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 唵 (ǎn) by using a different tone, such as ān, which changes the meaning entirely. Additionally, some may confuse it with words like 吃 (chī), which means to eat in a general sense.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 唵

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Etymology of 唵

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 奄 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 唵?

Decomposition of 唵

IDS Structure⿰口奄
Full Character
=
kou3
left
yan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 唵?

Write 唵

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

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Cultural Notes for 唵

🏮Cultural insight

In Buddhist culture, 唵 is significant as it is often used in mantras and is considered a sacred sound that embodies the essence of enlightenment.

Word Family of 唵

Words Containing This Character1
ǎn(interjection) oh!
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 唵 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 唵

In Buddhism, 唵 is often used as an interjection or part of mantras, representing a sound of spiritual significance, akin to 'om' in other traditions.