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March 24, 2026
崭(嶃)chán(chan2)
The character 崭 (chán) generally means 'new' or 'bold', often used to describe something that is fresh, steep, or high. It is commonly found in contexts highlighting innovation or elevation, both literally and metaphorically, such as 崭新 (chánxīn) meaning 'brand new'.
Strokes11Radical山Frequency#55558DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 'newness' often carries significant weight, especially in business and technology, where innovation is highly valued. The freshness implied by 崭 can symbolize progress and modernity.
Memory Tip
Imagine a steep mountain (the radical 山, meaning 'mountain') that is so high and new that it catches your eye. The sound 'chán' can be remembered as you 'chan' (chant) about how impressive and fresh this mountain looks.
Meanings of 崭
chán(chan2)
primary
1precipitous
2high
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 崭
崭Simplified
嶃Traditional
11Strokes
山Radical
区别词distinguishing word (dist.)Part of Speech
#55558Frequency Rank
Podcast: 崭
Podcast: 崭
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AI Study Notes for 崭
Quick Contrast
崭 (chán) vs 新 (xīn): use 崭 when emphasizing boldness or steepness, while 新 focuses on the quality of being new without the additional connotations.
Usage Notes
崭 is often used in more literary or formal contexts, so be mindful of the register. Common collocations include 崭新 (brand new) and 崭露头角 (to show one's talent). Learners should also note the potential confusion with the character 嶄, as they can sound similar but have different usages.
HSK Study Tips
Although 崭 is not in the official HSK vocabulary list, it is related to other words describing newness or steepness, which are useful for intermediate learners. Focus on the pronunciation and context to distinguish it from similar characters.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 崭 with 嶄, mistakenly using 嶄 when they mean to say 崭新. It's essential to remember that 崭 specifically conveys a sense of newness and boldness.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 崭
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Phonosemantic compound. 山 represents the meaning and 斩 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嶄.
1The meaning half山 carries the sense.
2The sound half斩 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymountain
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 崭? 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 崭?
Decomposition of 崭
IDS Structure⿱山斩
崭Full Character
=
山Shan1
top
斩zhan3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 崭?
How to say precipitous in Chinese
“precipitous” in Chinese is崭chán
The character 崭 (chán) generally means 'new' or 'bold', often used to describe something that is fresh, steep, or high. It is commonly found in contexts highlighting innovation or elevation, both literally and metaphorically, such as 崭新 (chánxīn) meaning 'brand new'.
When to use 崭
崭 is often used in more literary or formal contexts, so be mindful of the register. Common collocations include 崭新 (brand new) and 崭露头角 (to show one's talent). Learners should also note the potential confusion with the character 嶄, as they can sound similar but have different usages.
崭 or something close to it
崭 (chán) vs 新 (xīn): use 崭 when emphasizing boldness or steepness, while 新 focuses on the quality of being new without the additional connotations.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 崭 with 嶄, mistakenly using 嶄 when they mean to say 崭新. It's essential to remember that 崭 specifically conveys a sense of newness and boldness.
Write 崭
崭
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Practice writing 崭 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 崭
崭 carries 4 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 4
Complete the Sentence
他那条防水裤____新笔挺。
His waterproof trousers were brand new and stiff.
Example Sentences for 崭 (6)
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1
他那条防水裤崭新笔挺。
tā nà tiáo fáng shuǐ kù zhǎn xīn bǐ tǐng。
His waterproof trousers were brand new and stiff.
2
昨天他去给自己买了一辆崭新的小汽车。
zuó tiān tā qù gěi zì jǐ mǎi le yī liàng zhǎn xīn de xiǎo qì chē。
Yesterday he went off to buy himself a brand-new car.
3
原来的居民可能会认不出这个崭新的城镇了。
yuán lái de jū mín kě néng huì rèn bù chū zhè gè zhǎn xīn de chéng zhèn le。
The new town would have been unrecognisable to the original inhabitants.
