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煽 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
煽shānto stir up, to incite; to agitate, to provokev, 14 strokes, radical 火, rank #12530, Very Hard
煽shānto fan into a flameunknown, 14 strokes, radical 火, rank #12530, Very Hard
shān(shan1)shan T1
  1. 1to stir up, to incite; to agitate, to provoke
  2. 2to fan into a flame
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March 24, 2026

煽shān(shan1)

The character 煽 (shān) primarily means to stir up or incite, often relating to emotions or actions. It can describe the act of agitating a situation, provoking a response, or literally fanning a flame. This term is commonly used in contexts of political or social movements where emotions are heightened.

Strokes14Radical火Frequency#12530DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of inciting emotions or actions connects to historical events where leaders have rallied people through passionate speeches. This character often appears in discussions about social movements and protests.

Memory tip

Imagine a fan (煽) stirring up emotions like a breeze stirring leaves. The character has a fire radical (火) on the left, connecting to the idea of fanning flames, while the right side suggests movement, emphasizing the action of incitement.

Meanings of 煽

shān(shan1)
1to stir up, to incite; to agitate, to provoke
2to fan into a flame
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 煽

煽Simplified
14Strokes
火Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 煽

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Podcast: 煽

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AI study notes for 煽

Quick Contrast

煽 (shān) vs 激 (jī) — use 煽 when emphasizing incitement or agitation, while 激 focuses more on excitement or stimulation.

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using 煽 in formal contexts, as it can carry a negative connotation of manipulation or provocation. Common collocations include 煽动 (shān dòng - to incite) and 煽情 (shān qíng - to stir emotions). Remember that the third tone can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 煽 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it relates to other HSK words that involve emotions or actions, such as 动 (dòng - to move) or 激 (jī - to excite). Focus on understanding its connotation in various contexts to enhance your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 煽 with similar-sounding words like 闪 (shǎn - to flash), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, using 煽 in a context meant for 闪 would be incorrect; ensure you understand the emotional context when using 煽.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 煽

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Etymology of 煽

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

To fan 扇 the flames 火; 扇 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 煽?

Decomposition of 煽

IDS Structure⿰火扇
煽Full character
=
火Huo3
left
扇shan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 煽?

How to say to stir up, to incite; to agitate, to provoke in Chinese

“to stir up, to incite; to agitate, to provoke” in Chinese is煽shān

The character 煽 (shān) primarily means to stir up or incite, often relating to emotions or actions. It can describe the act of agitating a situation, provoking a response, or literally fanning a flame. This term is commonly used in contexts of political or social movements where emotions are heightened.

When to use 煽

Be cautious when using 煽 in formal contexts, as it can carry a negative connotation of manipulation or provocation. Common collocations include 煽动 (shān dòng - to incite) and 煽情 (shān qíng - to stir emotions). Remember that the third tone can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

煽 or something close to it

煽 (shān) vs 激 (jī) — use 煽 when emphasizing incitement or agitation, while 激 focuses more on excitement or stimulation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 煽 with similar-sounding words like 闪 (shǎn - to flash), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, using 煽 in a context meant for 闪 would be incorrect; ensure you understand the emotional context when using 煽.

Write 煽

煽

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

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Grammar patterns of 煽

煽 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

她称他的话不负责任、具____动性且极端无礼。

She described his remarks as irresponsible, inflammatory and outrageous.

Example sentences for 煽 (4)

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1
她称他的话不负责任、具煽动性且极端无礼。

tā chèn tā dehuà bù fùzé rèn、 jù shāndòng xìng qiě jíduān wú lǐ。

She described his remarks as irresponsible, inflammatory and outrageous.
2
在我看来,是官员们煽动了这场争斗。

zài wǒ kànlái, shì guānyuán men shāndòng le zhè chǎng zhēng dòu。

As far as I'm concerned the officials incited the fight.
3
他们说这首歌明目张胆地煽动杀害警察。

tāmen shuō zhè shǒu gē míng mù zhāng dǎn dì shāndòng shāhài jǐngchá。

They said the song blatantly encouraged the killing of policemen.
4
这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂.

zhè piān jīngxīn shèjì de yǎnshuō shāndòng tīngzhòng shǐ tāmen fā kuáng.

The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy.

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Word Family of 煽

Words containing this character4
煽动shāndòngto incite煽動
煽shānto incite
煽情moving
煽动性provocative煽動性
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 煽

What does 煽动 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 煽

Synonyms include 激动 (jī dòng - to excite) and 煽动 (shān dòng - to incite).

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