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礬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
礬fánalumx, 20 strokes, radical 石, Very Hard
fán(fan2) T2
  1. 1alum
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March 24, 2026

礬fán(fan2)

The character 礬 (fán) refers to 'alum', a chemical compound often used in various industrial processes, including water purification and as a mordant in dyeing. It is commonly encountered in contexts related to chemistry and manufacturing.

Strokes20Radical石Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Alum has historical significance in Chinese dyeing techniques, where it has been used for centuries to fix dyes in textiles, showcasing the blend of science and art in traditional practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant 'fan' (fán) made of aluminum, swirling around to purify water. The character 礬 has a 'stone' radical 石 (shí) indicating it's a mineral, which connects to its meaning as a type of chemical compound.

Meanings of 礬

fán(fan2)
1alum
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 礬

礬Simplified
20Strokes
石Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 礬

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Podcast: 礬

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AI Study Notes for 礬

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant 'fan' (fán) made of aluminum, swirling around to purify water. The character 礬 has a 'stone' radical 石 (shí) indicating it's a mineral, which connects to its meaning as a type of chemical compound.

Usage Notes

This term is primarily used in formal or technical contexts, so it may not be suitable for casual conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; the fourth tone is crucial in distinguishing it.

HSK Study Tips

While 礬 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, understanding it can enhance your grasp of scientific terms in Chinese. Focus on related terms in the chemistry domain to build a stronger contextual foundation.

Cultural Note

Alum has historical significance in Chinese dyeing techniques, where it has been used for centuries to fix dyes in textiles, showcasing the blend of science and art in traditional practices.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 礬 (fán) with 返 (fǎn), which means 'to return'. Remember that 礬 relates specifically to chemical compounds, while 返 is about movement or change.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 礬

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Etymology of 礬

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

mineral

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 礬?

Decomposition of 礬

IDS Structure⿱樊石
礬Full Character
=
樊Fan2
top
石dan4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 礬?

Write 礬

礬

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

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Cultural Notes for 礬

🏮Cultural insight

Alum has historical significance in Chinese dyeing techniques, where it has been used for centuries to fix dyes in textiles, showcasing the blend of science and art in traditional practices.

Word Family of 礬

Words Containing This Character4
明矾alum明礬
矾fánalum礬
白矾alum白礬
绿矾green vitriol (ferrous sulfate FeSO4:7H2O)綠礬
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 明矾 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 礬

Alum is mainly used in water purification and as a mordant in dyeing processes.