Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
暫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
暫zàntemporaryx, 15 strokes, radical 日, rank #84310, Very Hard
zàn(zan4) T4
  1. 1temporary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

暫zàn(zan4)

The character 暫 (zàn) means 'temporary' or 'brief'. It is commonly used to describe situations, arrangements, or states that are not permanent and have a limited duration. You might encounter it in contexts like temporary jobs, arrangements, or pauses.

Strokes15Radical日Frequency#84310DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'temporary' can be linked to the idea of adaptability, as many aspects of life can change rapidly, such as job situations or living arrangements. This reflects a broader cultural acceptance of impermanence.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'temporary' sign that flashes on and off, like a light bulb (the radical 暗 suggests light). The pronunciation 'zàn' sounds like 'zan', which you can think of as 'zany', something that is fun but not lasting. Picture a zany character who appears only for a moment and then disappears.

Meanings of 暫

zàn(zan4)
1temporary
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 暫

暫Simplified
15Strokes
日Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 暫

JasonAmy

Podcast: 暫

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 暫

Quick Contrast

暂 (zàn) vs 临时 (línshí) — use 暂 for a more general or brief temporary state, while 临时 specifically refers to arrangements or positions that are temporary.

Usage Notes

This character is often used in both formal and informal settings, but be cautious with its collocation; it’s commonly paired with words like '措施' (cùoshī, measures) to imply temporary measures. A common mistake is using it to describe something that is permanent; remember, '暫' specifically denotes something transient.

HSK Study Tips

Although 暫 is not currently included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is related to other words about time and duration, such as '暂时' (zànshí, temporarily). Focusing on its usage in phrases will enhance understanding of time-related concepts in Mandarin.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 暫 with 永久 (yǒngjiǔ, permanent). For example, saying '这是我的暂工作' (This is my temporary job) is correct, but using it incorrectly as '这是我的永久工作' would imply it's permanent, which is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 暫

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 暫 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 暫

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

Phonosemantic compound. 日 represents the meaning and 斩 represents the sound. Simplified form of 暫.

Memory Hint

sun

Semantic (meaning)日
+
Phonetic (sound)斬
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 暫

Phonosemantic compound. 日 represents the meaning and 斩 represents the sound. Simplified form of 暫.

  1. 1The meaning half日 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half斬 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysun
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 暫? 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 暫?

Decomposition of 暫

IDS Structure⿱斬日
暫Full Character
=
斬zhan3
top
日Ri4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 暫?

How to say temporary in Chinese

“temporary” in Chinese is暫zàn

The character 暫 (zàn) means 'temporary' or 'brief'. It is commonly used to describe situations, arrangements, or states that are not permanent and have a limited duration. You might encounter it in contexts like temporary jobs, arrangements, or pauses.

When to use 暫

This character is often used in both formal and informal settings, but be cautious with its collocation; it’s commonly paired with words like '措施' (cùoshī, measures) to imply temporary measures. A common mistake is using it to describe something that is permanent; remember, '暫' specifically denotes something transient.

暫 or something close to it

暂 (zàn) vs 临时 (línshí) — use 暂 for a more general or brief temporary state, while 临时 specifically refers to arrangements or positions that are temporary.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 暫 with 永久 (yǒngjiǔ, permanent). For example, saying '这是我的暂工作' (This is my temporary job) is correct, but using it incorrectly as '这是我的永久工作' would imply it's permanent, which is incorrect.

Write 暫

暫

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 暫

Words Containing This Character10
暂时zànshítemporary暫時
暂停zàntíngto suspend暫停
短暂duǎnzànbrief短暫
暂zàntemporary暫
暂行provisional暫行
暂且zànqiěfor now暫且
暂缓to postpone暫緩
暂定provisional暫定
暂住证temporary residence permit暫住證
暂短brief (in time)暫短
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 暂时 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 暫

You can say '他暂时离开了' (Tā zànshí líkāile), which means 'He has temporarily left.'

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 暫?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.