Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
瀚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
hànwide, vast, extensiven, 19 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
hànoceanunknown, 19 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
hànvastnessunknown, 19 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
hàn(han4) T4
  1. 1wide, vast, extensive
  2. 2ocean
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
hàn(han4)

The character 瀚 (hàn) refers to something that is wide, vast, or extensive, often used to describe oceans, seas, or large bodies of water. It conveys a sense of boundlessness and depth, highlighting the grandeur of nature. This term can also evoke feelings of freedom and exploration in contexts related to travel or adventure.

Strokes19RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, the vastness represented by 瀚 often symbolizes freedom and the spirit of adventure, reflecting the historical significance of navigation and exploration in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a vast ocean spreading wide (the character looks like waves), where the '氵' radical represents water. The pronunciation 'hàn' can be remembered by associating it with the sound of waves crashing, emphasizing the vastness of the sea.

Meanings of 瀚

hàn(han4)
1wide, vast, extensive
2ocean
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 瀚

Simplified
19Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 瀚

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 瀚

Quick Contrast

浩 (hào) — use 瀚 for vastness specifically related to large bodies of water, while 浩 conveys a broader sense of grandeur or vastness, not limited to water.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a vast ocean spreading wide (the character looks like waves), where the '氵' radical represents water. The pronunciation 'hàn' can be remembered by associating it with the sound of waves crashing, emphasizing the vastness of the sea.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 瀚 with similar characters like 汉 (hàn), which means 'Han' or 'Chinese'. 瀚 is more poetic and is rarely used in everyday conversation, often appearing in literary contexts. Be careful with pronunciation, as a wrong tone can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 瀚 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other HSK words related to water and vastness, such as 海 (hǎi, sea) and 广 (guǎng, wide). Students should focus on recognizing how it is used in descriptive phrases or poetry.

Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, the vastness represented by 瀚 often symbolizes freedom and the spirit of adventure, reflecting the historical significance of navigation and exploration in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 瀚 with other water-related characters. For example, saying '我喜欢瀚海' (I like the vast sea) is incorrect; the correct phrase is '我喜欢大海' (I like the ocean) since 瀚 is rarely used in casual contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 瀚

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 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 瀚

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

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 翰 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

water

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 瀚?

Decomposition of 瀚

IDS Structure⿰氵翰
Full Character
=
shui3
left
Han4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 瀚?

Write 瀚

Practice writing 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 瀚

瀚 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 3 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

____海 阑干百丈冰, 愁云黪淡万里凝.

" The sand - sea deepens with fathomless ice, And darkness masses its endless clouds ; "

Example Sentences for 瀚 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
瀚海 阑干百丈冰, 愁云黪淡万里凝.

hàn hǎi lán gān bǎi zhàng, bīng , chóu yún cǎn dàn wàn.

" The sand - sea deepens with fathomless ice, And darkness masses its endless clouds ; "

Cultural Notes for 瀚

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese literature, the vastness represented by 瀚 often symbolizes freedom and the spirit of adventure, reflecting the historical significance of navigation and exploration in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 瀚

Words Containing This Character2
浩瀚boundless
hànocean
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 浩瀚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 瀚

No, 瀚 is more commonly found in literary works or formal writing rather than in everyday speech.