Meanings of 爛
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About 爛
Podcast: 爛
Podcast: 爛
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AI Study Notes for 爛
腐 (fǔ) - use 爛 (làn) when describing something that is overcooked or overripe; use 腐 (fǔ) for something that is decayed or decomposed.
Learners often confuse 爛 with similar-sounding words like 脸 (liǎn, meaning 'face'), leading to misunderstandings. It is used in both informal and formal contexts, but be mindful of collocations such as 爛掉 (làn diào, 'to spoil completely') and avoid using it in overly polite situations.
While 爛 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding this character will help learners recognize patterns in food-related terms and descriptions of quality. Focus on its usage in everyday scenarios, especially when discussing food or items that have gone bad.
Learners sometimes confuse 爛 with 熟 (shú, meaning 'cooked') when talking about food. For example, saying '这个肉熟了' (zhège ròu shúle) is correct, but saying '这个肉爛了' (zhège ròu lànle) would imply the meat has spoiled, which is not the intended meaning.
Pronunciation of 爛
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Etymology of 爛
Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 兰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 爛.
fire
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 爛
Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 兰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 爛.
- 1The meaning half火 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half闌 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayfire
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 爛? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 爛
Identify the Components
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How to say overcooked, overripe; rotten, spoiled in Chinese
“overcooked, overripe; rotten, spoiled” in Chinese is爛
The character 爛 (làn) primarily means 'overcooked' or 'overripe,' and can also refer to something that is 'rotten' or 'spoiled.' It is commonly used in contexts related to food, but can also describe anything that has deteriorated in quality or condition, emphasizing a state beyond usability or enjoyment.
When to use 爛
Learners often confuse 爛 with similar-sounding words like 脸 (liǎn, meaning 'face'), leading to misunderstandings. It is used in both informal and formal contexts, but be mindful of collocations such as 爛掉 (làn diào, 'to spoil completely') and avoid using it in overly polite situations.
爛 or something close to it
腐 (fǔ) - use 爛 (làn) when describing something that is overcooked or overripe; use 腐 (fǔ) for something that is decayed or decomposed.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 爛 with 熟 (shú, meaning 'cooked') when talking about food. For example, saying '这个肉熟了' (zhège ròu shúle) is correct, but saying '这个肉爛了' (zhège ròu lànle) would imply the meat has spoiled, which is not the intended meaning.
Write 爛
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Practice writing 爛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 爛
Compound Meaning
What does 烂 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 爛
You can say '这个苹果爛了' (zhège píngguǒ lànle), meaning 'This apple is rotten.'
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