unknown, 16 strokes, radical 扌, rank #47583, Very Hard
gǎn(gan3) T3
1to roll or knead dough
2to roll (dough etc)
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March 24, 2026
擀gǎn(gan3)
The verb 擀 (gǎn) means to roll out or knead dough, commonly used in the context of preparing various types of pastries or noodles. It conveys the action of flattening dough with a rolling pin, emphasizing the technique involved in culinary practices.
Strokes16Radical扌Frequency#47583DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, the technique of rolling dough is essential for making popular foods such as dumplings and noodles. Mastering 擀 is a rite of passage for many aspiring home cooks in China.
Memory Tip
Imagine a giant rolling pin rolling over a giant piece of dough, 'gǎn' sounds like 'gone' as in 'the dough is gone flat'. Visualize the rolling pin as a magic wand that transforms the dough into something thin and perfect.
Meanings of 擀
gǎn(gan3)
1to roll or knead dough
2to roll (dough etc)
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 擀
擀Simplified
16Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 擀
Podcast: 擀
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AI Study Notes for 擀
Quick Contrast
擀 (gǎn) vs 揉 (róu) — use 擀 when specifically referring to rolling out dough, while 揉 is for kneading or massaging dough.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 擀 with similar-sounding verbs. It is typically used in informal contexts when discussing cooking or baking. Common collocations include 擀面团 (gǎn miàntuán - to roll out dough) and 擀皮 (gǎn pí - to roll out the skin for dumplings).
HSK Study Tips
Although 擀 is not in the official HSK list, it connects well with basic cooking vocabulary at HSK 2-3. Focus on verbs related to food preparation to build a relevant vocabulary base for culinary topics.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 擀 with the character 赶 (gǎn), which means to hurry. For example, saying '我在赶面团' (Wǒ zài gǎn miàntuán) is incorrect; it should be '我在擀面团'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 擀
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2The sound half幹 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayhand
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
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Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 擀?
Decomposition of 擀
IDS Structure⿰扌幹
擀Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
幹gan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 擀?
How to say to roll or knead dough in Chinese
“to roll or knead dough” in Chinese is擀gǎn
The verb 擀 (gǎn) means to roll out or knead dough, commonly used in the context of preparing various types of pastries or noodles. It conveys the action of flattening dough with a rolling pin, emphasizing the technique involved in culinary practices.
When to use 擀
Be careful not to confuse 擀 with similar-sounding verbs. It is typically used in informal contexts when discussing cooking or baking. Common collocations include 擀面团 (gǎn miàntuán - to roll out dough) and 擀皮 (gǎn pí - to roll out the skin for dumplings).
擀 or something close to it
擀 (gǎn) vs 揉 (róu) — use 擀 when specifically referring to rolling out dough, while 揉 is for kneading or massaging dough.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 擀 with the character 赶 (gǎn), which means to hurry. For example, saying '我在赶面团' (Wǒ zài gǎn miàntuán) is incorrect; it should be '我在擀面团'.
Write 擀
擀
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Practice writing 擀 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 擀
擀 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
