Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
赕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
赕dǎnfine, penaltyg, 12 strokes, radical 贝
赕dǎn(old barbarian dialects) to pay a fine in atonementunknown, 12 strokes, radical 贝
赕dǎnriverunknown, 12 strokes, radical 贝
赕dǎnTaiwan pr. [tan4]unknown, 12 strokes, radical 贝
dǎn(dan3) T3
  1. 1fine, penalty
  2. 2(old barbarian dialects) to pay a fine in atonement
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

赕(賧)dǎn(dan3)

The character 赕 (dǎn) primarily refers to a fine or penalty, often in the context of payment made for atonement. It can also relate to the concept of a river in some contexts, though this usage is less common. This character is not frequently encountered in modern Mandarin, making it more relevant to historical or specialized discussions.

Strokes12Radical贝
Cultural Note

The concept of paying fines for atonement has historical roots in Chinese law and ethics, reflecting societal values around responsibility and restitution. Such practices can be seen in ancient texts discussing moral behavior.

Memory Tip

Imagine a river (the meaning of one of its usages) flowing with coins as penalties are paid. The character 赕 looks like a river with the top part resembling flowing water and the bottom part hinting at something being paid or exchanged.

Meanings of 赕

dǎn(dan3)
1fine, penalty
2(old barbarian dialects) to pay a fine in atonement
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 赕

赕Simplified
賧Traditional
12Strokes
贝Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 赕

JasonAmy

Podcast: 赕

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 赕

Usage Notes

赕 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, which can lead to confusion among learners. It is important to note the difference in pronunciation (dǎn vs. tan4) in Taiwan, as this can change the meaning entirely. Be cautious of using it in formal settings without understanding its nuances.

HSK Study Tips

Although 赕 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding this character can enrich students' knowledge of historical texts and legal terminology. Focus on recognizing its structure and related terms that involve penalties or fines.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 赕 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 赕 when they mean to say 罚 (fá), which means 'to punish', can create misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 赕

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 赕 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 赕

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

money

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 赕

  1. 1The meaning half贝 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half炎 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymoney
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 赕? 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 赕?

Decomposition of 赕

IDS Structure⿰贝炎
赕Full Character
=
贝Bei4
left
炎yan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 赕?

How to say fine, penalty in Chinese

“fine, penalty” in Chinese is赕dǎn

The character 赕 (dǎn) primarily refers to a fine or penalty, often in the context of payment made for atonement. It can also relate to the concept of a river in some contexts, though this usage is less common. This character is not frequently encountered in modern Mandarin, making it more relevant to historical or specialized discussions.

When to use 赕

赕 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, which can lead to confusion among learners. It is important to note the difference in pronunciation (dǎn vs. tan4) in Taiwan, as this can change the meaning entirely. Be cautious of using it in formal settings without understanding its nuances.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 赕 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 赕 when they mean to say 罚 (fá), which means 'to punish', can create misunderstandings.

Write 赕

赕

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 赕

Words Containing This Character1
赕dǎnriver賧
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 赕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 赕

In modern usage, 赕 generally refers to a fine or penalty, but it is rarely used in everyday conversation.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 赕?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.