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阊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
阊chāngthe gates of heaven; the main gate of a palacex, 11 strokes, radical 门
阊chānggate of heavenunknown, 11 strokes, radical 门
阊chānggate of palaceunknown, 11 strokes, radical 门
chāng(chang1) T1
  1. 1the gates of heaven; the main gate of a palace
  2. 2gate of heaven
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

阊(閶)chāng(chang1)

The character 阊 (chāng) refers to a grand or significant gate, often associated with the gates of heaven or the main entrance to a palace. It conveys a sense of majesty and importance, typically found in literary or poetic contexts rather than everyday conversation.

Strokes11Radical门
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, gates symbolize thresholds between different realms, such as the earthly and the heavenly. The concept of a 'gate to heaven' often appears in poetry and is linked to themes of aspiration and transcendence.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand gate made of clouds leading to the heavens. The top part of 阊 resembles a roof, symbolizing a gate, while the bottom part looks like a pathway leading you into a majestic space, helping you remember 'chāng' as 'the gate to something divine.'

Meanings of 阊

chāng(chang1)
1the gates of heaven; the main gate of a palace
2gate of heaven
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 阊

阊Simplified
閶Traditional
11Strokes
门Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 阊

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Podcast: 阊

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AI Study Notes for 阊

Usage Notes

This character is rarely used in modern spoken Mandarin, making it more common in classical literature or poetry. Be cautious with its usage; it may sound overly formal or archaic in everyday conversation. Collocations include terms related to palatial architecture or heavenly imagery.

HSK Study Tips

Although 阊 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance comprehension of classical texts. Focus on recognizing it in literary contexts and connecting it with phrases that describe gates or entrances.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 阊 with similar characters that denote gates, like 门 (mén), which is more commonly used. For example, saying '我走到阊' instead of '我走到门' (I walk to the gate) would be incorrect in casual contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 阊

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Etymology of 阊

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A heavenly 昌 gate 门; 昌 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 阊

  1. 1The giveawayA heavenly 昌 gate 门; 昌 also provides the pronunciation
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 阊? 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 阊?

Decomposition of 阊

IDS Structure⿵门昌
阊Full Character
=
门Men2
enclosing
昌Chang1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 阊?

How to say the gates of heaven; the main gate of a palace in Chinese

“the gates of heaven; the main gate of a palace” in Chinese is阊chāng

The character 阊 (chāng) refers to a grand or significant gate, often associated with the gates of heaven or the main entrance to a palace. It conveys a sense of majesty and importance, typically found in literary or poetic contexts rather than everyday conversation.

When to use 阊

This character is rarely used in modern spoken Mandarin, making it more common in classical literature or poetry. Be cautious with its usage; it may sound overly formal or archaic in everyday conversation. Collocations include terms related to palatial architecture or heavenly imagery.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 阊 with similar characters that denote gates, like 门 (mén), which is more commonly used. For example, saying '我走到阊' instead of '我走到门' (I walk to the gate) would be incorrect in casual contexts.

Write 阊

阊

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

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Word Family of 阊

Words Containing This Character2
阊chānggate of heaven閶
金阊区Jinchang district of Suzhou city 蘇州市|苏州市[Sū​zhōu​shì], Jiangsu金閶區
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 阊 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 阊

No, 阊 is primarily found in literary texts and is not commonly used in everyday speech.

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