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梵 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
梵fànBuddhist, Sanskritnz, 11 strokes, radical 木, rank #19085, Very Hard
梵fànabbr. for 梵教[Fan4 jiao4] Brahmanismunknown, 11 strokes, radical 木, rank #19085, Very Hard
梵fànabbr. for Sanskrit 梵語|梵语[Fan4 yu3] or 梵文[Fan4 wen2]unknown, 11 strokes, radical 木, rank #19085, Very Hard
梵fànabbr. for 梵蒂岡|梵蒂冈[Fan4 di4 gang1], the Vaticanunknown, 11 strokes, radical 木, rank #19085, Very Hard
fàn(Fan4) T4
  1. 1Buddhist, Sanskrit
  2. 2abbr. for 梵教[Fan4 jiao4] Brahmanism
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

梵fàn(Fan4)

The character '梵' (fàn) primarily refers to Buddhist concepts, Sanskrit, or Brahmanism. It is often used in religious contexts, particularly in discussions about Buddhism and its texts, as well as in references to the Vatican in modern contexts.

Strokes11Radical木Frequency#19085DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, '梵' is closely associated with Buddhist teachings and practices, reflecting the historical influence of Buddhism in China. It is also linked to the reverence of Sanskrit texts that have shaped Buddhist philosophy.

Memory Tip

Imagine a serene monk (梵) sitting under a tree, meditating and chanting in Sanskrit. The character's components, the tree (木) and the sound 'fàn', remind you of the peaceful teachings of Buddhism and the ancient language of Sanskrit.

Meanings of 梵

fàn(Fan4)
1Buddhist, Sanskrit
2abbr. for 梵教[Fan4 jiao4] Brahmanism
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 梵

梵Simplified
11Strokes
木Radical
其它专名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 梵

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Podcast: 梵

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 梵

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse '梵' with similar-sounding words that relate to different religions or languages. This term is more formal and is typically used in academic or religious discussions rather than everyday conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While '梵' is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to broader studies of Chinese Buddhism and ancient languages. Focus on its usage in religious texts and its cultural significance to enhance your understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse '梵' with '范' (fàn), which means 'model' or 'standard'. For example, saying '我在学习梵语' (I am learning 'standard language') instead of '我在学习梵语' (I am learning Sanskrit) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 梵

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Etymology of 梵

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

Phonosemantic compound. 林 represents the meaning and 凡 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

forest

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 梵

Phonosemantic compound. 林 represents the meaning and 凡 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half林 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half凡 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayforest
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 梵? 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 梵?

Decomposition of 梵

IDS Structure⿱林凡
梵Full Character
=
林Lin2
top
凡fan2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 梵?

How to say Buddhist, Sanskrit in Chinese

“Buddhist, Sanskrit” in Chinese is梵fàn

The character '梵' (fàn) primarily refers to Buddhist concepts, Sanskrit, or Brahmanism. It is often used in religious contexts, particularly in discussions about Buddhism and its texts, as well as in references to the Vatican in modern contexts.

When to use 梵

Be careful not to confuse '梵' with similar-sounding words that relate to different religions or languages. This term is more formal and is typically used in academic or religious discussions rather than everyday conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse '梵' with '范' (fàn), which means 'model' or 'standard'. For example, saying '我在学习梵语' (I am learning 'standard language') instead of '我在学习梵语' (I am learning Sanskrit) can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 梵

梵

Practice writing 梵 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 梵

梵 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 1

Complete the Sentence

夏尔马先生点上香,念起____文咒语。

Mr Sharma lit incense and chanted Sanskrit mantras.

Example Sentences for 梵 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
夏尔马先生点上香,念起梵文咒语。

xià ěr mǎ xiān shēng diǎn shàng xiāng, , niàn qǐ fàn wén zhòu。

Mr Sharma lit incense and chanted Sanskrit mantras.

Word Family of 梵

Words Containing This Character6
梵fànabbr. for 梵教[Fàn​jiào] Brahmanism
梵蒂冈Vatican City梵蒂岡
梵高Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), Dutch post-Impressionist painter
梵文Sanskrit
梵蒂冈城Vatican City, capital of Holy See梵蒂岡城
梵刹monastery梵剎
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 梵 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 梵

'梵' is often used to refer to Buddhist concepts or Sanskrit, highlighting its significance in religious texts.

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