Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
璨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
璨càngem; the luster of a gemg, 17 strokes, radical 王, rank #95423, Very Hard
璨cànluster of gemunknown, 17 strokes, radical 王, rank #95423, Very Hard
càn(can4)can T4
  1. 1gem; the luster of a gem
  2. 2luster of gem
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

璨càn(can4)

The character 璨 (càn) refers to a gem or precious stone, emphasizing the luster and brilliance that such stones possess. It is often used in contexts discussing jewelry, beauty, and value, particularly in literary or poetic descriptions of gemstones.

Strokes17Radical王Frequency#95423DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, gemstones are often associated with wealth and status, and they can carry auspicious meanings. The character 璨 may appear in traditional poetry or literature that extols the beauty and value of nature's treasures.

Memory tip

Think of 璨 as a shining gem. The radical '王' (wáng) suggests something precious, while the left side '火' (huǒ) can remind you of the sparkling light that gems emit when they catch the light, making them appear dazzling.

Meanings of 璨

càn(can4)
1gem; the luster of a gem
2luster of gem
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 璨 means.

About 璨

璨Simplified
17Strokes
王Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 璨

JasonAmy

Podcast: 璨

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 璨

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 璨 with similar characters like 珠 (zhū), which means pearl. 璨 is more formal and often used in literary contexts, while 珠 can be used in everyday speech. Common collocations include 璨石 (càn shí - gem stone) and 璨光 (càn guāng - luster of a gem).

HSK Study Tips

Although 璨 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be useful for learners at the advanced level (HSK 5 and above) as it enriches their vocabulary related to precious materials. Students should focus on recognizing the character in written texts and understanding its poetic usage.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 璨 with other gem-related characters like 珠 (zhū) or 宝 (bǎo). For example, saying '我喜欢璨' (I like càn) is incorrect; it should be '我喜欢宝石' (I like gemstones) when referring to gems in general.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 璨

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 璨, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 璨 to you

Let me explain 璨 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 璨 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 璨?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 璨 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 璨

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

The luster 粲 of a gem 王; 粲 also provides the pronunciation

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

Origin

What kind of character is 璨?

Decomposition of 璨

IDS Structure⿰王粲
璨Full character
=
王Wang2
left
粲can4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 璨?

How to say gem; the luster of a gem in Chinese

“gem; the luster of a gem” in Chinese is璨càn

The character 璨 (càn) refers to a gem or precious stone, emphasizing the luster and brilliance that such stones possess. It is often used in contexts discussing jewelry, beauty, and value, particularly in literary or poetic descriptions of gemstones.

When to use 璨

Be careful not to confuse 璨 with similar characters like 珠 (zhū), which means pearl. 璨 is more formal and often used in literary contexts, while 珠 can be used in everyday speech. Common collocations include 璨石 (càn shí - gem stone) and 璨光 (càn guāng - luster of a gem).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 璨 with other gem-related characters like 珠 (zhū) or 宝 (bǎo). For example, saying '我喜欢璨' (I like càn) is incorrect; it should be '我喜欢宝石' (I like gemstones) when referring to gems in general.

Write 璨

璨

Practice writing 璨 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 璨

璨 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

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

金 、 银和珐琅装饰品都制造得空前地璀____夺目.

Gold, silver, and enamelled work were done with an unprecedented brilliance.

Example sentences for 璨 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
金 、 银和珐琅装饰品都制造得空前地璀璨夺目.

jīn、 yín hé fà láng zhuāngshì pǐn dōu zhìzào de kōngqián dì cuǐcàn duó mù.

Gold, silver, and enamelled work were done with an unprecedented brilliance.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 璨?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Word Family of 璨

Words containing this character3
璀璨bright
璀璨夺目dazzling (idiom)璀璨奪目
璨càngem
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 璨

What does 璀璨 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 璨

You might encounter phrases like 璨石 (gem stone) and 璨光 (the luster of a gem) in literature.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 璨?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab