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栈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
栈zhànwarehouse; tavern, innn, 9 strokes, radical 木, rank #28705, Very Hard
栈zhàna wooden or bamboo pen for sheep or cattleunknown, 9 strokes, radical 木, rank #28705, Very Hard
栈zhànwood or bamboo trestleworkunknown, 9 strokes, radical 木, rank #28705, Very Hard
栈zhàna warehouseunknown, 9 strokes, radical 木, rank #28705, Very Hard
zhàn(zhan4) T4
  1. 1warehouse; tavern, inn
  2. 2a wooden or bamboo pen for sheep or cattle
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
栈(棧)zhàn(zhan4)

The character 栈 (zhàn) primarily refers to a warehouse or a place where goods are stored. It can also denote a tavern or inn, and is used in contexts related to animal pens or trestlework made of wood or bamboo. The core meaning revolves around storage and shelter, applicable in both commercial and agricultural settings.

Strokes9Radical木Frequency#28705DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In ancient China, inns (栈) were vital for trade routes, serving as stopping points for merchants and travelers. The concept of such inns reflects the significance of hospitality and commerce in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wooden structure (木 - mù) piled high with goods or sheep (羊 - yáng) inside. The character 栈 resembles a wooden frame with a roof, picturing a warehouse or an inn where travelers rest and goods are stored. This visualization links the character to its meaning and the 'zhàn' sound.

Meanings of 栈

zhàn(zhan4)
1warehouse; tavern, inn
2a wooden or bamboo pen for sheep or cattle
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 栈

栈Simplified
棧Traditional
9Strokes
木Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 栈

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Podcast: 栈

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AI Study Notes for 栈

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a wooden structure (木 - mù) piled high with goods or sheep (羊 - yáng) inside. The character 栈 resembles a wooden frame with a roof, picturing a warehouse or an inn where travelers rest and goods are stored. This visualization links the character to its meaning and the 'zhàn' sound.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 栈 with similar characters like 站 (zhàn), which means 'to stand' or 'station.' This word is generally used in more formal contexts when referring to warehouses or inns. Common collocations include '货物栈' (huòwù zhàn - goods warehouse) and '栈房' (zhànfáng - inn).

HSK Study Tips

Although 栈 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, it relates to HSK Level 4 words like '仓库' (cāngkù - warehouse) and '旅馆' (lǚguǎn - hotel). Students should focus on understanding its context in commercial or agricultural discussions to enrich their vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In ancient China, inns (栈) were vital for trade routes, serving as stopping points for merchants and travelers. The concept of such inns reflects the significance of hospitality and commerce in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 栈 with 站, using it in the wrong context. For example, saying '我在栈等车' (Wǒ zài zhàn děng chē - I wait for the bus at the warehouse) instead of '我在站等车' (Wǒ zài zhàn děng chē - I wait for the bus at the station) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 栈

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Etymology of 栈

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

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 戋 represents the sound. Simplified form of 棧.

Memory Hint

wood

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 栈?

Decomposition of 栈

IDS Structure⿰木戋
栈Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
戋jian1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 栈?

Write 栈

栈

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 栈

栈 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

在昨日星辰客____，我总有种宾至如归的感觉。

I always feel at home at Ye Olde Starre Inn.

Example Sentences for 栈 (6)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
在昨日星辰客栈，我总有种宾至如归的感觉。

zài zuó rì xīng chén kè zhàn， ， wǒ zǒng yǒu zhǒng bīn zhì rú guī de gǎn。

I always feel at home at Ye Olde Starre Inn.
2
这家老客栈颇有些浪漫气氛.

zhè jiā lǎo kè zhàn pō yǒu xiē làng màn qì fēn.

There is an air of romance about the old inn.
3
也许所有的禁酒客栈都有个闹鬼的房间, 喂, 哈克,你说是不是? ”

yě xǔ suǒ yǒu de jīn jiǔ kè zhàn dū yǒu gè nào guǐ de fáng jiān, ,, wèi ,, hā kè , nǐ shuō?”

Maybe ALL the Temperance Taverns have got a ha'nted room, hey, Huck? "
4
她在客栈前的水泵旁洗了洗脸。

tā zài kè zhàn qián de shuǐ bèng páng xǐ le xǐ liǎn。

She washed her face at the pump in front of the inn.
5
“行！”客栈老板娘挺直身子愤然说道。

“ “！” háng ！” kè zhàn lǎo bǎn niáng tǐng zhí shēn zǐ fèn rán。

"Well!", said the innkeeper, drawing herself up indignantly.
6
他们要等交了保管费之后才能把家具搬出货栈.

tā mén yào děng jiāo le bǎo guǎn fèi zhī hòu cái néng bǎ jiā jù bān chū huò zhàn.

Their furniture will stay in the warehouse until they have paid the storage fee.

Cultural Notes for 栈

🏮Cultural insight

In ancient China, inns (栈) were vital for trade routes, serving as stopping points for merchants and travelers. The concept of such inns reflects the significance of hospitality and commerce in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 栈

Words Containing This Character11
客栈tavern客棧
栈zhàna warehouse棧
栈道plank walkway constructed on the face of a cliff棧道
货栈warehouse貨棧
栈桥a pier棧橋
堆栈storehouse堆棧
恋栈to be reluctant to give up a post戀棧
栈房warehouse棧房
粮栈wholesale grain store糧棧
驽马恋栈豆an incompetent man clings to a good position (idiom)駑馬戀棧豆
栈存储器stack memory (computing)棧存儲器
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 客栈 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 栈

栈 (zhàn) refers to a warehouse or inn, while 站 (zhàn) means 'to stand' or 'station.' They are pronounced the same but have different meanings.