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嘆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嘆tànto sigh, to admirex, 14 strokes, radical 口
tàn(tan4)tan T4
  1. 1to sigh, to admire
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March 24, 2026

嘆tàn(tan4)

The character 嘆 (tàn) primarily means 'to sigh' and can also imply 'to admire' or express a sense of awe. It is often used in contexts where someone is reflecting on something with a mix of emotions, whether it be sadness, nostalgia, or admiration.

Strokes14Radical口
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, sighing can be a common expression of sentiment, often reflecting a deep emotional response to beauty or loss, which is why 嘆 is frequently encountered in poetry and literature.

Memory tip

Imagine someone sighing deeply while looking at a beautiful sunset. The shape of the character 嘆 resembles an open mouth (口) releasing a sigh, combined with the radical for 'words' (口), suggesting the expression of feelings through speech.

Meanings of 嘆

tàn(tan4)
1to sigh, to admire
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 嘆

嘆Simplified
14Strokes
口Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嘆

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Podcast: 嘆

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AI study notes for 嘆

Quick Contrast

感叹 (gǎntàn, to exclaim, to express a strong emotion) is used when someone is expressing a more intense emotional reaction compared to 嘆 (tàn), which is more subdued and reflective.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 嘆, as it is pronounced with a falling tone (tàn). Common collocations include 嘆息 (tànxī - to sigh) and 嘆为观止 (tàn wéi guān zhǐ - to admire greatly). Avoid using it in overly formal contexts where a more sophisticated term might be preferred.

HSK Study Tips

While 嘆 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects well with other HSK words that express emotions, such as 哭 (kū - to cry) and 笑 (xiào - to laugh). Focus on its pronunciation and emotional context to enhance your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嘆 with 叹, mistakenly using 叹 in everyday conversation. The correct usage in informal contexts is 嘆, as it feels more natural.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嘆

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Etymology of 嘆

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

mouth

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

Origin

嘆 = 口 + 堇. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 嘆

IDS Structure⿰口堇
嘆Full character
=
口kou3
left
堇jin3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 嘆?

How to say to sigh, to admire in Chinese

“to sigh, to admire” in Chinese is嘆tàn

The character 嘆 (tàn) primarily means 'to sigh' and can also imply 'to admire' or express a sense of awe. It is often used in contexts where someone is reflecting on something with a mix of emotions, whether it be sadness, nostalgia, or admiration.

When to use 嘆

Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 嘆, as it is pronounced with a falling tone (tàn). Common collocations include 嘆息 (tànxī - to sigh) and 嘆为观止 (tàn wéi guān zhǐ - to admire greatly). Avoid using it in overly formal contexts where a more sophisticated term might be preferred.

嘆 or something close to it

感叹 (gǎntàn, to exclaim, to express a strong emotion) is used when someone is expressing a more intense emotional reaction compared to 嘆 (tàn), which is more subdued and reflective.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嘆 with 叹, mistakenly using 叹 in everyday conversation. The correct usage in informal contexts is 嘆, as it feels more natural.

Write 嘆

嘆

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

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Word Family of 嘆

Words containing this character20
惊叹jīngtàna gasp of surprise驚嘆
叹tànto sigh嘆
叹息tànxīto sigh嘆息
感叹gǎntànto lament感嘆
叹气tànqìto sigh嘆氣
赞叹zàntànto exclaim in admiration讚嘆
叹为观止tànwéiguānzhǐ(idiom) to gasp in amazement嘆為觀止
长叹chángtànlong sigh長嘆
感叹号gǎntànhàoexclamation mark ! (punct.)感嘆號
哀叹āitànto sigh哀嘆
唉声叹气āishēngtànqìto heave deep sighs唉聲嘆氣
悲叹bēitànto bewail悲嘆
慨叹kǎitànlament慨嘆
惊叹号jīngtànhàoexclamation mark ! (punct.)驚嘆號
叹服tànfú(to gasp) with admiration嘆服
咏叹调yǒngtàndiàoaria詠嘆調
赞叹不已zàntànbùyǐto be full of praise (idiom)贊嘆不已
感叹词gǎntàncíexclamation感嘆詞
叹词tàncíinterjection嘆詞
可叹kětànlamentable可嘆
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 嘆

What does 惊叹 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 嘆

Both characters are pronounced the same but 嘆 is more commonly used in modern contexts, while 叹 is often found in literary or formal settings.

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