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荃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
荃quánaromatic herb; fine clothg, 9 strokes, radical 艹
荃quán(fragrant plant)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 艹
quán(quan2)quan T2
  1. 1aromatic herb; fine cloth
  2. 2(fragrant plant)
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March 24, 2026

荃quán(quan2)

The character 荃 (quán) refers to aromatic herbs, particularly those that are fragrant or used in cooking and traditional medicine. It often implies a sense of delicacy and quality, relating to fine cloth or materials as well. This character is commonly used in contexts involving nature, cooking, and traditional Chinese practices.

Strokes9Radical艹
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, many fragrant herbs like those represented by 荃 are used for their therapeutic properties. Their significance extends to culinary practices, where aromatic herbs enhance flavor and are essential in many regional dishes.

Memory tip

Imagine a fragrant herb sprouting in a garden. The left part of the character, 艹 (cǎo), represents grass or plants, while the right part, 全 (quán), can remind you of something being complete or whole—like a full bouquet of aromatic herbs. Visualize this garden of herbs to remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 荃

quán(quan2)
1aromatic herb; fine cloth
2(fragrant plant)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 荃

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

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Podcast: 荃

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AI Study Notes for 荃

Usage Notes

When using 荃, it’s important to note that it is less common in everyday speech compared to more general terms for herbs. It might appear in literary or poetic contexts. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding characters like 全 (quán, meaning 'whole'), which has a different meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 荃 is not in the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to nature and cuisine, which are often covered in HSK levels 3 and 4. Focus on recognizing its components and practicing it alongside related words like 草 (cǎo, grass) and 香 (xiāng, fragrant).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 荃 with similar characters due to pronunciation similarities. For example, using it interchangeably with 全 (quán) can lead to misunderstandings, as they have distinct meanings—remember that 荃 specifically relates to fragrant herbs.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 荃

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Etymology of 荃

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 全 represents the sound.

Memory hint

herb

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

Origin

荃 = 艹 + 全. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 荃

IDS Structure⿱艹全
荃Full character
=
艹cao3
top
全Quan2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 荃?

How to say aromatic herb; fine cloth in Chinese

“aromatic herb; fine cloth” in Chinese is荃quán

The character 荃 (quán) refers to aromatic herbs, particularly those that are fragrant or used in cooking and traditional medicine. It often implies a sense of delicacy and quality, relating to fine cloth or materials as well. This character is commonly used in contexts involving nature, cooking, and traditional Chinese practices.

When to use 荃

When using 荃, it’s important to note that it is less common in everyday speech compared to more general terms for herbs. It might appear in literary or poetic contexts. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding characters like 全 (quán, meaning 'whole'), which has a different meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 荃 with similar characters due to pronunciation similarities. For example, using it interchangeably with 全 (quán) can lead to misunderstandings, as they have distinct meanings—remember that 荃 specifically relates to fragrant herbs.

Write 荃

荃

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

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Word Family of 荃

Words containing this character1
荃quán(fragrant plant)

Frequently Asked Questions about 荃

荃 typically refers to a variety of aromatic and fragrant herbs used in cooking and traditional medicine.

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