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饞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
饞chángreedy, gluttonous; lewd, lecherousx, 25 strokes, radical 飠
chán(chan2)chan T2
  1. 1greedy, gluttonous; lewd, lecherous
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March 24, 2026

饞chán(chan2)

The character 饞 (chán) primarily means greedy or gluttonous, often describing an excessive desire for food. It can also convey lewd or lecherous behavior when used in certain contexts, thus extending its meaning beyond mere appetite to a more general sense of craving or lust.

Strokes25Radical飠
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, food is often associated with hospitality and enjoyment, making the concept of being 饞 a common, relatable trait during family gatherings and celebrations.

Memory tip

Imagine a giant, greedy panda (饞) who is always hungry and surrounded by bamboo. The panda's round, chubby form represents gluttony, and the bamboo symbolizes food. The pronunciation 'chán' sounds like 'chomp', reinforcing the idea of a character who just can't get enough to eat.

Meanings of 饞

chán(chan2)
1greedy, gluttonous; lewd, lecherous
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 饞

饞Simplified
25Strokes
飠Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 饞

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Podcast: 饞

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AI study notes for 饞

Quick Contrast

贪 (tān) — use 饞 (chán) when specifically referring to excessive desire for food, while 贪 (tān) indicates a general greedy desire for wealth or power.

Usage Notes

饞 is often used informally and can come across as negative, so be cautious in formal settings. Common collocations include 饞嘴 (chán zuǐ, to be greedy for food) and 饞吃 (chán chī, to indulge in eating). Ensure you use the correct tone, as a mispronunciation can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

饞 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists but is related to the HSK 4 level words for food and desire. Students should focus on the contexts in which it is used, especially in informal conversations about food.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 饞 with other characters related to food, such as 餓 (è, hungry). A wrong example would be saying 我很饞 (Wǒ hěn chán, I am very greedy) instead of 我很餓 (Wǒ hěn è, I am very hungry).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 饞

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Etymology of 饞

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

eat

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

Origin

饞 = 飠 + 毚. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 饞

IDS Structure⿰飠毚
饞Full character
=
飠shi2
left
毚chan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 饞?

How to say greedy, gluttonous; lewd, lecherous in Chinese

“greedy, gluttonous; lewd, lecherous” in Chinese is饞chán

The character 饞 (chán) primarily means greedy or gluttonous, often describing an excessive desire for food. It can also convey lewd or lecherous behavior when used in certain contexts, thus extending its meaning beyond mere appetite to a more general sense of craving or lust.

When to use 饞

饞 is often used informally and can come across as negative, so be cautious in formal settings. Common collocations include 饞嘴 (chán zuǐ, to be greedy for food) and 饞吃 (chán chī, to indulge in eating). Ensure you use the correct tone, as a mispronunciation can change the meaning.

饞 or something close to it

贪 (tān) — use 饞 (chán) when specifically referring to excessive desire for food, while 贪 (tān) indicates a general greedy desire for wealth or power.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 饞 with other characters related to food, such as 餓 (è, hungry). A wrong example would be saying 我很饞 (Wǒ hěn chán, I am very greedy) instead of 我很餓 (Wǒ hěn è, I am very hungry).

Write 饞

饞

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

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Word Family of 饞

Words containing this character8
馋chángreedy饞
馋嘴gluttonous饞嘴
解馋to eat to one's heart's content解饞
眼馋to covet眼饞
嘴馋gluttonous嘴饞
馋涎欲滴greedy饞涎欲滴
贪馋gluttonous貪饞
眼馋肚饱to have eyes bigger than one's belly (idiom)眼饞肚飽
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 饞

What does 馋 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 饞

Yes, 饞 usually has a negative connotation, implying excessive or inappropriate desire.

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