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殚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
殚dānutmost, entirely, quite; to use upzg, 12 strokes, radical 歹
殚dānto exhaustunknown, 12 strokes, radical 歹
dān(dan1)dan T1
  1. 1utmost, entirely, quite; to use up
  2. 2to exhaust
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March 24, 2026

殚(殫)dān(dan1)

The character 殚 (dān) conveys the idea of completeness or exhaustiveness. It often describes a state of totality, such as using something up entirely or reaching the utmost limit of something. This term can be used in both formal and literary contexts.

Strokes12Radical歹
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese philosophy, concepts of completeness and exhaustion are often linked to ideas of balance and harmony, which can be seen in practices like Tai Chi or Feng Shui. The term 殚 may appear in discussions of achieving balance in life or resources.

Memory tip

Imagine a deep well that you have drawn water from entirely, leaving it completely empty. The character 殚 has the radical for 'death' (死) as part of its form, suggesting an end or exhaustion. Connect 'dān' with 'done' to remember that something is completely used up.

Meanings of 殚

dān(dan1)
1utmost, entirely, quite; to use up
2to exhaust
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 殚

殚Simplified
殫Traditional
12Strokes
歹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 殚

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AI study notes for 殚

Usage Notes

A common mistake is to confuse 殚 with similar-sounding characters that imply partiality or incompleteness. This term is more formal and should be avoided in casual conversation. Be mindful of using it in contexts that require precision, such as literary writing.

HSK Study Tips

Although 殚 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it shares roots with other advanced characters that deal with completeness or totality. Students should focus on recognizing its use in classical texts or advanced literature to appreciate its nuances.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 殚 with the character 完 (wán), which means 'to complete' but doesn’t imply exhaustion. For instance, saying '我已经完这个任务' (I have finished this task) instead of '我已经殚这个任务' (I have exhausted this task) can lead to confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 殚

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Etymology of 殚

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

death

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

Origin

殚 = 歹 + 单. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 殚

IDS Structure⿰歹单
殚Full character
=
歹dai3
left
单dan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 殚?

How to say utmost, entirely, quite; to use up in Chinese

“utmost, entirely, quite; to use up” in Chinese is殚dān

The character 殚 (dān) conveys the idea of completeness or exhaustiveness. It often describes a state of totality, such as using something up entirely or reaching the utmost limit of something. This term can be used in both formal and literary contexts.

When to use 殚

A common mistake is to confuse 殚 with similar-sounding characters that imply partiality or incompleteness. This term is more formal and should be avoided in casual conversation. Be mindful of using it in contexts that require precision, such as literary writing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 殚 with the character 完 (wán), which means 'to complete' but doesn’t imply exhaustion. For instance, saying '我已经完这个任务' (I have finished this task) instead of '我已经殚这个任务' (I have exhausted this task) can lead to confusion.

Write 殚

殚

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

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Word Family of 殚

Words containing this character5
殚精竭虑to rack one's brains殫精竭慮
殚dānentirely殫
殚心to devote one's entire mind殫心
殚竭to use up殫竭
殚力to strive殫力
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 殚

What does 殚精竭虑 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 殚

It's more suitable for formal or literary contexts rather than casual speech.

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