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笺 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
笺jiānnote, memo, letter; stationery; commentsv, 11 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #31372, Very Hard
笺jiānnote-paperunknown, 11 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #31372, Very Hard
jiān(jian1) T1
  1. 1note, memo, letter; stationery; comments
  2. 2note-paper
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

笺(椾)jiān(jian1)

The character 笺 (jiān) refers to a type of note or memo, often used in the context of stationery or paper for writing messages. It can also imply written comments or letters, highlighting its use in communication. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation but is recognized in literary and formal contexts.

Strokes11Radical⺮Frequency#31372DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, writing notes on 笺 was a common practice, especially during the poetry and calligraphy periods. It reflects the value placed on written communication and the aesthetics of handwriting.

Memory Tip

Imagine a delicate piece of paper (笺) floating in the air, carrying a soft note written on it. The character looks like a small scroll, suggesting its purpose for writing. The '竹' radical (bamboo) represents the material used in traditional stationery, while '𠂇' suggests the act of carrying a message.

Meanings of 笺

jiān(jian1)
1note, memo, letter; stationery; comments
2note-paper
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 笺

笺Simplified
椾Traditional
11Strokes
⺮Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 笺

JasonAmy

Podcast: 笺

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 笺

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 笺 with similar characters like 条 (tiáo) or 纸 (zhǐ), which also relate to writing. 笺 is more formal and should be used in literary settings rather than casual conversations. Remember to use it in contexts related to formal communication or traditional letters.

HSK Study Tips

Though 笺 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it relates to words like 纸 (zhǐ - paper) and 信 (xìn - letter). Students should focus on understanding its usage in formal contexts and how it complements other writing-related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 笺 interchangeably with 纸 (zhǐ) in casual contexts. For example, saying '我需要一个笺来写这个' (I need a 笺 to write this) is incorrect; instead, use '纸' for everyday paper.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 笺

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Etymology of 笺

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

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 戋 represents the sound. Simplified form of 箋.

Memory Hint

bamboo

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 笺

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 戋 represents the sound. Simplified form of 箋.

  1. 1The meaning half⺮ carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half戋 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybamboo
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 笺? 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 笺?

Decomposition of 笺

IDS Structure⿱⺮戋
笺Full Character
=
⺮zhu2
top
戋jian1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 笺?

How to say note, memo, letter; stationery; comments in Chinese

“note, memo, letter; stationery; comments” in Chinese is笺jiān

The character 笺 (jiān) refers to a type of note or memo, often used in the context of stationery or paper for writing messages. It can also imply written comments or letters, highlighting its use in communication. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation but is recognized in literary and formal contexts.

When to use 笺

Learners often confuse 笺 with similar characters like 条 (tiáo) or 纸 (zhǐ), which also relate to writing. 笺 is more formal and should be used in literary settings rather than casual conversations. Remember to use it in contexts related to formal communication or traditional letters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 笺 interchangeably with 纸 (zhǐ) in casual contexts. For example, saying '我需要一个笺来写这个' (I need a 笺 to write this) is incorrect; instead, use '纸' for everyday paper.

Write 笺

笺

Practice writing 笺 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 笺

笺 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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

手边放一本便____簿,以便有问题时随时记下。

Keep a pad handy to jot down queries as they occur.

Example Sentences for 笺 (3)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
手边放一本便笺簿,以便有问题时随时记下。

shǒu biān fàng yī běn biàn jiān bù, , yǐ biàn yǒu wèn tí shí suí shí jì。

Keep a pad handy to jot down queries as they occur.
2
迈拉·坎宁安给我寄了张便笺感谢我招待的晚餐。

mài lā· · kǎn níng ān gěi wǒ jì le zhāng biàn jiān gǎn xiè wǒ zhāo dài de wǎn。

Myra Cunningham sent me a note thanking me for dinner.
3
末后, 她不再去苦思索了, 机械地在那张信笺上画了无数的小圆圈.

mò hòu, , tā bù zài qù kǔ sī suǒ, le , jī xiè dì zài nà zhāng xìn jiān shàng huà le wú shù de xiǎo.

Finally, unable to concentrate any longer, she fell to doodling on the writing pad.

Word Family of 笺

Words Containing This Character4
笺jiānletter箋
信笺letter信箋
便笺memo便箋
笺注commentaries箋注
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 笺 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 笺

Yes, while it's not as common in everyday conversation, 笺 is still recognized and used in formal writing contexts.

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