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March 24, 2026
贯(貫)guàn(guan4)
The character 贯 (guàn) primarily means 'to pierce through' or 'to pass through.' It can also refer to items being strung together, such as a string of coins. In historical contexts, it specifically denotes a unit of measure representing a string of 1,000 cash coins.
Strokes8Radical贝Frequency#25949DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In ancient China, 贯 was significant in trade, as the string of 1,000 cash coins was a common way to handle currency. This reflects the importance of coinage and trade systems in Chinese history.
Memory Tip
Imagine a needle (the radical '贯' looks like a needle) piercing through a string of coins. Picture a long string of 1,000 shiny coins being held together by that needle, helping you remember both the pronunciation 'guàn' and the idea of connection and passage.
Meanings of 贯
guàn(guan4)
1to pierce through
2to pass through
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 贯
贯Simplified
貫Traditional
8Strokes
贝Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#25949Frequency Rank
Podcast: 贯
Podcast: 贯
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AI Study Notes for 贯
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a needle (the radical '贯' looks like a needle) piercing through a string of coins. Picture a long string of 1,000 shiny coins being held together by that needle, helping you remember both the pronunciation 'guàn' and the idea of connection and passage.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 贯 with similar-sounding characters, such as 管 (guǎn, meaning 'to manage'). This character is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing currency or historical measurements. Common collocations include 贯穿 (guànchuān, meaning 'to penetrate through') and 贯通 (guàntōng, meaning 'to connect through').
HSK Study Tips
While 贯 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with terms involving currency and measurement which are relevant at HSK Level 3 and above. Students should focus on understanding the context of usage in historical texts and modern applications.
Cultural Note
In ancient China, 贯 was significant in trade, as the string of 1,000 cash coins was a common way to handle currency. This reflects the importance of coinage and trade systems in Chinese history.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 贯 with 管 (guǎn), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我会贯管理' (wǒ huì guàn guǎnlǐ) instead of '我会管理' (I can manage) is incorrect. The correct phrase would simply use 管 (guǎn).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 贯
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六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声å—)~80-90% of characters
Explanation
Simplified form of 貫. Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 毌 represents the sound. Originally written as 毌, a pictograph of a string being pierced through something. The 貝 component was added later, conveying a string of shells
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Grammar Patterns of 贯
贯 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 5 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.
The text is good in parts, but suffers from discontinuity.
7
杰伊一贯和他的女朋友们保持距离。
jié yī yī guàn hé tā de nǚ péng yǒu mén bǎo chí jù lí。
Jay had always tended to keep his girlfriends at a distance.
8
汤米·图恩在编排的舞蹈中注入其一贯的优雅和活力。
tāng mǐ· · tú ēn zài biān pái de wǔ dǎo zhōng zhù rù qí yī guàn de yōu yǎ hé huó。
Tommy Tune gives the choreography his usual class and zip.
9
我一贯大声说出自己的想法，不会迫于压力而一言不发。
wǒ yī guàn dà shēng shuō chū zì jǐ de xiǎng fǎ， ， bù huì pò yú yā lì ér yī yán bù。
I've always had a loud mouth, I refuse to be silenced.
10
那群孩子从房子里鱼贯而出时，她停了下来。
nà qún hái zǐ cóng fáng zǐ lǐ yú guàn ér chū shí， ， tā tíng le xià。
She paused as the group of children filed out of the house.
Cultural Notes for 贯
🏮Cultural insight
In ancient China, 贯 was significant in trade, as the string of 1,000 cash coins was a common way to handle currency. This reflects the importance of coinage and trade systems in Chinese history.
Word Family of 贯
Compounds2
惯guan4accustomed to
掼guan4to fling, to smash; to know, to be familiar
Words Containing This Character20
贯彻guànchèto implement貫徹
一贯yíguànconsistent一貫
贯穿guànchuānto run through貫穿
全神贯注with rapt attention全神貫注
贯guànto pierce through貫
连贯to link up (disparate elements)連貫
满贯grand slam滿貫
贯通guàntōngto link up貫通
腰缠万贯loaded腰纏萬貫
籍贯jíguànone's native place籍貫
横贯to cut across橫貫
恶贯满盈replete with vice惡貫滿盈
万贯very wealthy萬貫
如雷贯耳lit. like thunder piercing the ear如雷貫耳
融会贯通to master the subject via a comprehensive study of surrounding areas融會貫通
贯注to concentrate貫注
万贯家财vast wealth萬貫家財
纵贯to pass through縱貫
鱼贯in single file魚貫
贯串to pierce through貫串
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 惯 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 贯
It is pronounced as 'guàn' with a falling tone.
A common phrase is 贯穿 (guànchuān), which means 'to penetrate through'.
Yes, it is often used in historical contexts related to currency or measurements.
