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婪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
婪
lán
avaricious
x, 11 strokes, radical 女, Medium
婪
lán
to covet; covetous, avaricious
x, 11 strokes, radical 女, Medium
婪
lán
old variant of 婪[lán]
x, 11 strokes, radical 女, Medium
lán(lan2)lan T2
1avaricious
2to covet; covetous, avaricious
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March 24, 2026
婪lán(lan2)
The character 婪 (lán) refers to a strong desire for wealth or possessions, often associated with greed and avarice. It is commonly used in contexts discussing moral values or critiques of excessive desire for material goods. Its connotation is generally negative, indicating an insatiable longing that can lead to unethical behavior.
Strokes11Radical女Frequency#2588DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, greed is often critiqued in literature and folklore, where avaricious characters face dire consequences. This reflects the Confucian values that emphasize moderation and ethical conduct.
Memory tip
Imagine a greedy person (represented by 婪) who has a long, insatiable tongue (the radical '女' suggesting femininity) that keeps coveting more and more, as if it could never be satisfied. The pronunciation 'lán' rhymes with 'land', suggesting that this person is always trying to acquire more land and resources.
Meanings of 婪
lán(lan2)
1avaricious
2to covet; covetous, avaricious
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 婪 means.
About 婪
婪Simplified
11Strokes
女Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 婪
Podcast: 婪
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AI study notes for 婪
Quick Contrast
贪 (tān) vs 婪 (lán): use 婪 for a stronger emphasis on greed and avarice, while 贪 conveys a more general sense of greed or desire.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 婪 with similar characters that indicate desire but do not carry the same negative connotation. This character is typically used in formal contexts discussing ethics or morality rather than casual conversation. Common collocations include 婪心 (greedy heart) and 婪欲 (avarice).
HSK Study Tips
Although 婪 is not an HSK level character, it can be useful for learners at advanced stages, particularly when studying topics related to morality or human behavior. Focus on understanding its negative implications and how it can be applied in moral discussions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 婪 with the character 贪 (tān), which also means greedy but is used more commonly in everyday language. For example, saying '他很婪' (tā hěn lán) instead of '他很贪' (tā hěn tān) is incorrect; use 贪 for casual contexts.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 婪
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 婪 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
婪 = 女 + 林. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 婪
IDS Structure⿱林女
婪Full character
=
林Lin2
top
女nü3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 婪?
How to say avaricious in Chinese
“avaricious” in Chinese is婪lán
The character 婪 (lán) refers to a strong desire for wealth or possessions, often associated with greed and avarice. It is commonly used in contexts discussing moral values or critiques of excessive desire for material goods. Its connotation is generally negative, indicating an insatiable longing that can lead to unethical behavior.
When to use 婪
Be careful not to confuse 婪 with similar characters that indicate desire but do not carry the same negative connotation. This character is typically used in formal contexts discussing ethics or morality rather than casual conversation. Common collocations include 婪心 (greedy heart) and 婪欲 (avarice).
婪 or something close to it
贪 (tān) vs 婪 (lán): use 婪 for a stronger emphasis on greed and avarice, while 贪 conveys a more general sense of greed or desire.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 婪 with the character 贪 (tān), which also means greedy but is used more commonly in everyday language. For example, saying '他很婪' (tā hěn lán) instead of '他很贪' (tā hěn tān) is incorrect; use 贪 for casual contexts.
Write 婪
婪
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Practice writing 婪 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 婪
婪 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 5
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
因此,这个贪____的犹太人就跟慷慨的商人安东尼奥结下了很深的仇恨.
Therefore there was great enmity between this covetous Jew and the generous merchant Antonio.
Example sentences for 婪 (10)
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1
因此,这个贪婪的犹太人就跟慷慨的商人安东尼奥结下了很深的仇恨.
yīncǐ, zhège tānlán de yóu tài rén jiù gēn kāngkǎi de shāngrén Ān dōng ní ào jié xià le hěn shēn de chóuhèn.
Therefore there was great enmity between this covetous Jew and the generous merchant Antonio.
