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瘓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
瘓huànnumbness, paralysiszg, 14 strokes, radical 疒
huàn(huan4) T4
  1. 1numbness, paralysis
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

瘓huàn(huan4)

The character 瘓 (huàn) refers to numbness or paralysis, often used in medical or health contexts. It describes a state where a part of the body is unable to move or feel sensations, emphasizing a loss of function. Commonly, it might be used when discussing conditions affecting the nervous system.

Strokes14Radical疒
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of numbness and paralysis often relates to Qi (energy) blockages, reflecting a holistic view of health that intertwines physical and energetic states. This perspective highlights the importance of balance within the body.

Memory Tip

Think of 瘓 as a character that looks like a person (亻) who is unable to move (瘓) due to a sudden shock. Imagine a scenario where someone is shocked into a state of paralysis, connecting the visual of the character with its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 瘓

huàn(huan4)
1numbness, paralysis
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 瘓

瘓Simplified
14Strokes
疒Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 瘓

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Podcast: 瘓

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AI Study Notes for 瘓

Usage Notes

This term is generally used in formal medical discussions, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include phrases like 瘓病 (huàn bìng - paralysis disease). Be cautious with the fourth tone; mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 瘓 is not included in the HSK curriculum, understanding it can enhance your medical vocabulary, especially at higher levels. Focus on related terms and conditions that involve paralysis or numbness, as they frequently appear in texts about health.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 瘓 with similar-sounding words like 盹 (dǔn - doze), leading to incorrect usage. Remember, 瘓 specifically relates to paralysis, while 盹 refers to a brief sleep.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 瘓

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Etymology of 瘓

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

Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 奂 represents the sound. Simplified form of 瘓.

Memory Hint

sickness

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 瘓

Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 奂 represents the sound. Simplified form of 瘓.

  1. 1The meaning half疒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half奐 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysickness
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 瘓? 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 瘓?

Decomposition of 瘓

IDS Structure⿸疒奐
瘓Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
奐huan4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 瘓?

How to say numbness, paralysis in Chinese

“numbness, paralysis” in Chinese is瘓huàn

The character 瘓 (huàn) refers to numbness or paralysis, often used in medical or health contexts. It describes a state where a part of the body is unable to move or feel sensations, emphasizing a loss of function. Commonly, it might be used when discussing conditions affecting the nervous system.

When to use 瘓

This term is generally used in formal medical discussions, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include phrases like 瘓病 (huàn bìng - paralysis disease). Be cautious with the fourth tone; mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 瘓 with similar-sounding words like 盹 (dǔn - doze), leading to incorrect usage. Remember, 瘓 specifically relates to paralysis, while 盹 refers to a brief sleep.

Write 瘓

瘓

Practice writing 瘓 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 瘓

Words Containing This Character2
瘫痪tānhuànparalysis癱瘓
痪huànillness瘓
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 瘫痪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 瘓

瘓 generally refers to paralysis, while 麻痹 (má bì) can mean numbness or loss of sensation, often used in a broader context.

Jason Recommends

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