Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
畎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
畎quǎna drain between fields, irrigation; to flowg, 9 strokes, radical 田
畎quǎnfield drainsunknown, 9 strokes, radical 田
quǎn(quan3) T3
  1. 1a drain between fields, irrigation; to flow
  2. 2field drains
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

畎quǎn(quan3)

The character 畎 (quǎn) refers to a drainage channel or irrigation system used in agriculture. It typically denotes the man-made features that facilitate the flow of water between fields, ensuring that crops receive adequate hydration. This term is commonly used in discussions about farming practices and land management.

Strokes9Radical田
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese farming, effective irrigation systems were crucial for crop success, particularly in regions with varying rainfall. The significance of drainage channels like 畎 highlights the agricultural innovations that have shaped China's historical development.

Memory Tip

Imagine a farmer named 'Quǎn' who builds a winding drain (the character resembles flowing water) between his fields. The curves of the character represent the flow of water, helping him irrigate his crops effectively.

Meanings of 畎

quǎn(quan3)
1a drain between fields, irrigation; to flow
2field drains
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 畎

畎Simplified
9Strokes
田Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 畎

JasonAmy

Podcast: 畎

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 畎

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 畎 with similar agricultural terms like 渠 (qú), which also relates to water channels but has different applications. It is more commonly used in formal contexts related to agriculture. Pay attention to the tone when pronouncing 'quǎn' to avoid misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

This character is not included in the HSK levels but connects with agricultural vocabulary that students may encounter in advanced studies. Focus on understanding its role in farming contexts, as well as its usage in compound words related to irrigation.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes mispronounce 畎 as 'quān' instead of 'quǎn', which changes its meaning. Additionally, confusing it with 渠 can lead to errors in context; remember that 畎 specifically refers to drainage systems.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 畎

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 畎 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 畎

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

field

Semantic (meaning)田
+
Phonetic (sound)犬
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 畎

  1. 1The meaning half田 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half犬 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfield
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 畎? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 畎?

Decomposition of 畎

IDS Structure⿰田犬
畎Full Character
=
田Tian2
left
犬quan3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 畎?

How to say a drain between fields, irrigation; to flow in Chinese

“a drain between fields, irrigation; to flow” in Chinese is畎quǎn

The character 畎 (quǎn) refers to a drainage channel or irrigation system used in agriculture. It typically denotes the man-made features that facilitate the flow of water between fields, ensuring that crops receive adequate hydration. This term is commonly used in discussions about farming practices and land management.

When to use 畎

Learners often confuse 畎 with similar agricultural terms like 渠 (qú), which also relates to water channels but has different applications. It is more commonly used in formal contexts related to agriculture. Pay attention to the tone when pronouncing 'quǎn' to avoid misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes mispronounce 畎 as 'quān' instead of 'quǎn', which changes its meaning. Additionally, confusing it with 渠 can lead to errors in context; remember that 畎 specifically refers to drainage systems.

Write 畎

畎

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 畎

Words Containing This Character1
畎quǎnfield drains
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 畎 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 畎

The correct pronunciation is 'quǎn' with a falling-rising tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 畎?

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.