Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
阚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
阚kànsurname Kanunknown, 14 strokes, radical 门
阚kànto glance, to peep; to growl, to roarnr, 14 strokes, radical 门
阚hǎnsurname Kanunknown, 14 strokes, radical 门
阚hǎnto glance, to peep; to growl, to roarnr, 14 strokes, radical 门
hǎn(han3)han
primary
T3
  1. 1surname Kan
  2. 2to glance, to peep; to growl, to roar
Also a Chinese surname, Kan — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

阚(闞)hǎn(han3)

The character 阚 (hǎn) primarily refers to the action of glancing or peeping, often with a sense of stealth or secrecy. It can also be used to describe sounds like growling or roaring, which conveys a sense of power or intimidation. Additionally, it is a surname in Chinese culture, which may appear in various contexts related to personal names or family heritage.

Strokes14Radical门
Cultural note

The surname 阚 is relatively uncommon in China, but like many surnames, it carries historical significance and can be tied to specific family lineages or regional identities. Surnames often reflect historical occupations or geographic origins.

Memory tip

Imagine a lion (which roars) peeking through a tall gate (阚), trying to catch a glimpse of what’s on the other side. The ‘阚’ character can be visualized as a gate (阝) with a roaring lion (the sound part ‘hǎn’) behind it, reminding you of both peeping and growling.

Meanings of 阚

hǎn(han3)
primary
1to glance, to peep; to growl, to roar
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 阚 means.

About 阚

阚Simplified
闞Traditional
14Strokes
门Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 阚

JasonAmy

Podcast: 阚

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 阚

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the usage of 阚, as it is quite rare and can sound overly dramatic in everyday conversation. It is more commonly seen in literary or formal contexts. Students should be aware of its dual meaning and apply it correctly depending on whether they are describing an action or using it as a surname.

HSK Study Tips

Although 阚 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be connected to other characters involving actions or sounds, such as 吼 (hǒu, to roar). Students at the beginner level should focus on recognizing the character's components and understanding its unique meanings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 阚 with similar-sounding characters like 看 (kàn, to see), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我阚书' (Wǒ hǎn shū) instead of '我看书' (Wǒ kàn shū, I read books) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 阚

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

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

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 阚 to You

Let me explain 阚 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 阚 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 阚?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 阚 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 阚

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

gate

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

Origin

阚 = 门 + 敢. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 阚

IDS Structure⿵门敢
阚Full character
=
门Men2
enclosing
敢gan3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 阚?

How to say surname Kan in Chinese

“surname Kan” in Chinese is阚kàn

The character 阚 (hǎn) primarily refers to the action of glancing or peeping, often with a sense of stealth or secrecy. It can also be used to describe sounds like growling or roaring, which conveys a sense of power or intimidation. Additionally, it is a surname in Chinese culture, which may appear in various contexts related to personal names or family heritage.

When to use 阚

Be cautious with the usage of 阚, as it is quite rare and can sound overly dramatic in everyday conversation. It is more commonly seen in literary or formal contexts. Students should be aware of its dual meaning and apply it correctly depending on whether they are describing an action or using it as a surname.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 阚 with similar-sounding characters like 看 (kàn, to see), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我阚书' (Wǒ hǎn shū) instead of '我看书' (Wǒ kàn shū, I read books) is incorrect.

Write 阚

阚

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 阚?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Word Family of 阚

Words containing this character1
阚hǎnto glance闞

Frequently Asked Questions about 阚

In everyday conversation, 阚 is not commonly used, but it can refer to peeping or glancing in a secretive manner.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 阚?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab