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癫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
diāncrazy, insane; madness, manian, 21 strokes, radical 疒, rank #21866, Very Hard
diānmentally derangedunknown, 21 strokes, radical 疒, rank #21866, Very Hard
diān(dian1) T1
  1. 1crazy, insane; madness, mania
  2. 2mentally deranged
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(癲)diān(dian1)

The character 癫 (diān) refers to a state of madness or insanity, often used to describe someone who is mentally unwell or exhibiting erratic behavior. It can also imply a sense of extreme enthusiasm or mania in certain contexts, such as being 'crazy about' something.

Strokes21RadicalFrequency#21866DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, mental health issues are often viewed through a holistic lens, and terms like 癫 may reflect complex beliefs about the mind and body connection. This character appears in discussions about historical figures believed to be 'mad geniuses'.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person with wild hair (the radical 疒, which relates to sickness) running around acting 'crazy' (癫) in a circus. The wildness of their actions is memorable and connects to the sound 'diān', helping you remember that this character relates to madness.

Meanings of 癫

diān(dian1)
1crazy, insane; madness, mania
2mentally deranged
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 癫

Simplified
Traditional
21Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 癫

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 癫

Quick Contrast

癫 (diān) vs 疯 (fēng) — use 癫 for a more nuanced or less severe connotation of madness, while 疯 implies a more extreme or uncontrollable state.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person with wild hair (the radical 疒, which relates to sickness) running around acting 'crazy' (癫) in a circus. The wildness of their actions is memorable and connects to the sound 'diān', helping you remember that this character relates to madness.

Usage Notes

癫 is typically used in more formal or medical contexts when discussing mental health. Be cautious not to use it lightly in casual conversation, as it can seem insensitive. Common collocations include 癫狂 (diānkuáng - crazy) and 癫痫 (diānxián - epilepsy).

HSK Study Tips

Although 癫 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it shares components with other words related to health (like 疒). Students should focus on recognizing the radical and its connotations in context, especially in literature or medical discussions.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, mental health issues are often viewed through a holistic lens, and terms like 癫 may reflect complex beliefs about the mind and body connection. This character appears in discussions about historical figures believed to be 'mad geniuses'.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 癫 with similar-sounding words like 颠 (diān - to topple), which carries a different meaning. Remember that 癫 specifically relates to mental states, while 颠 relates to physical actions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 癫

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Etymology of 癫

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

Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 颠 represents the sound. Simplified form of 癲.

Memory Hint

sickness

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 癫?

Decomposition of 癫

IDS Structure⿸疒颠
Full Character
=
ne4
enclosing
dian1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 癫?

Write 癫

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

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Grammar Patterns of 癫

癫 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). 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 3

Complete the Sentence

他患有____痫,但是拒绝服药治疗。

He was epileptic and refused to take medication for his condition.

Example Sentences for 癫 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他患有癫痫,但是拒绝服药治疗。

tā huàn yǒu diān xián, , dàn shì jù jué fú yào zhì。

He was epileptic and refused to take medication for his condition.
2
这次战争疯癫得没底.

zhè cì zhàn zhēng fēng diān dé méi dǐ.

In this war there is an idiocy without bounds.

Cultural Notes for 癫

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, mental health issues are often viewed through a holistic lens, and terms like 癫 may reflect complex beliefs about the mind and body connection. This character appears in discussions about historical figures believed to be 'mad geniuses'.

Word Family of 癫

Words Containing This Character5
癫痫epilepsy癲癇
diāncrazy
疯癫insane瘋癲
疯疯癫癫deranged瘋瘋癲癲
癫狂mad癲狂
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 癫痫 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 癫

No, 癫 is more commonly used in medical or literary contexts rather than in casual conversation.