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冠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
冠guànhatn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guàncrownn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guàncrestn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guàncapn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guànto put on a hatn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guànto be firstn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guànto dubn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guàncap, crown, headgearn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guànsurname Guann, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guānhatn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guāncrownn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guāncrestn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guāncapn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guānto put on a hatn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guānto be firstn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guānto dubn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guāncap, crown, headgearn, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
冠guānsurname Guann, 9 strokes, radical 冖, rank #8305, Very Hard
guān(guan1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1hat
  2. 2crown
Also a Chinese surname, Guan — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

冠guān(guan1)

The character 冠 (guān) primarily means 'crown' or 'hat', often symbolizing authority or achievement. It can also refer to the act of 'putting on a hat' or 'to be first' in a competition context, suggesting a sense of victory or leadership.

Strokes9Radical冖Frequency#8305DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, crowns are often associated with imperial authority and historical figures, reflecting the deep-rooted symbolism of leadership and success. The concept of 'crown' also appears in traditional poetry and literature, emphasizing honor.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand crown (冠) placed atop a head, representing someone who has achieved first place. The character looks like a hat on top of a head, reminding you that it symbolizes both headgear and being number one.

Meanings of 冠

guān(guan1)
primary
1hat
2crown
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 冠

冠Simplified
9Strokes
冖Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#8305Frequency Rank

Podcast: 冠

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Podcast: 冠

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 冠

Quick Contrast

冠 (guān) vs 帽 (mào) — use 冠 for 'crown' or symbolic headwear, while 帽 refers specifically to 'hat' in a general sense.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 冠 with similar-sounding words, such as 关 (guān), which means 'to close'. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in expressions related to achievement or leadership, such as 冠军 (guànjūn) meaning 'champion'.

HSK Study Tips

Though 冠 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with other words related to competition and success, like 胜 (shèng, meaning 'to win'). Focus on its usage in phrases relating to victory and authority, as these will enhance vocabulary regarding achievements.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 冠 as 'guān' with an incorrect tone. Ensure that you use the correct tone to distinguish it from other words, such as 'guǎn' (管), which means 'to manage'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 冠

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Etymology of 冠

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

A man 元 puts on a cap 冖 with his hand 寸

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 冠

  1. 1The giveawayA man 元 puts on a cap 冖 with his hand 寸
  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 冠? 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 冠?

Decomposition of 冠

IDS Structure⿱冖⿺元寸
冠Full Character
=
冖mi4
top
元Yuan2
enclosing
寸cun4
inner
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 冠?

How to say hat in Chinese

“hat” in Chinese is冠guàn

The character 冠 (guān) primarily means 'crown' or 'hat', often symbolizing authority or achievement. It can also refer to the act of 'putting on a hat' or 'to be first' in a competition context, suggesting a sense of victory or leadership.

When to use 冠

Be careful not to confuse 冠 with similar-sounding words, such as 关 (guān), which means 'to close'. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in expressions related to achievement or leadership, such as 冠军 (guànjūn) meaning 'champion'.

冠 or something close to it

冠 (guān) vs 帽 (mào) — use 冠 for 'crown' or symbolic headwear, while 帽 refers specifically to 'hat' in a general sense.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 冠 as 'guān' with an incorrect tone. Ensure that you use the correct tone to distinguish it from other words, such as 'guǎn' (管), which means 'to manage'.

Write 冠

冠

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 冠

冠 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 9 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.

Related grammar lessons2
Exercise 1 of 5

Complete the Sentence

这名重量级拳击____军将尝试挑战霍利菲尔德的世界冠军头衔。

The heavyweight champion will be given a shot at Holyfield's world title.

Common Confusions with 冠

冠vs管
guǎn

Similar pronunciation but different meanings and radicals.

冠vs观
guān

Similar sound and shape but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "hat"?

or

Example Sentences for 冠 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这名重量级拳击冠军将尝试挑战霍利菲尔德的世界冠军头衔。

zhè míng zhòng liáng jí quán jī guān jūn jiāng cháng shì tiāo zhàn huò lì fēi ěr dé de shì jiè guān jūn tóu xián。

The heavyweight champion will be given a shot at Holyfield's world title.
2
红袜队以一场之差将冠军输给了底特律队。

hóng wà duì yǐ yī cháng zhī chà jiāng guān jūn shū gěi le dǐ tè lǜ duì。

The Red Sox lost the pennant to Detroit by a single game.
3
理查德·邓伍迪在职业赛马骑师冠军赛中领先其他选手。

lǐ chá dé· · dèng wǔ dí zài zhí yè sài mǎ qí shī guān jūn sài zhōng lǐng xiān qí tā xuǎn。

Richard Dunwoody is in front in the jockeys' title race.
4
树冠在微风中婆娑摇曳。

shù guān zài wēi fēng zhōng pó suō yáo yè。

The tops of the trees rippled in the breeze.
5
塞莱斯拿到了10个锦标赛冠军，是当之无愧的世界冠军。

sāi lái sī ná dào le10 10 gè jǐn biāo sài guān， jūn ， shì dāng zhī wú kuì de shì jiè。

Seles won 10 tournaments, and was the undisputed world champion.
6
阿兰·普罗斯特以第三名的成绩结束比赛，实际上已经将世界冠军的位置拱手让人。

ā lán· · pǔ luó sī tè yǐ dì sān míng de chéng jì jié shù bǐ， sài ， shí jì shàng yǐ jīng jiāng shì jiè guān jūn de wèi zhì gǒng shǒu。

Alain Prost finished third and virtually conceded the world championship.
7
他是个遇难而退的人，照他的性格，不可能长期保住冠军的称号。

tā shì gè yù nán ér tuì de rén， ， zhào tā de xìng， gé ， bù kě néng cháng qī bǎo zhù guān jūn de。

He is a quitter who is temperamentally unsuited to remaining a champion.
8
罗杰斯也能在纽约马拉松比赛中4次夺冠。

luó jié sī yě néng zài niǔ yuē mǎ lā sōng bǐ sài zhōng4 4 cì duó。

Rodgers can also claim four victories in the New York Marathon.
9
他衣冠楚楚——这一点在那个时候很重要。

tā yī guān chǔ chǔ—— —— zhè yī diǎn zài nà gè shí hòu hěn zhòng。

He dressed very smartly which was important in those days.
10
这次胜利勾起了他对往昔那些夺冠岁月的美好回忆。

zhè cì shèng lì gōu qǐ le tā duì wǎng xī nà xiē duó guān suì yuè de měi hǎo huí yì。

The win revived glorious memories of his championship-winning days.

Word Family of 冠

Words Containing This Character20
冠军guànjūnchampion冠軍
冠guānhat
夺冠duóguànto seize the crown奪冠
皇冠crown (headgear)
王冠crown
冠心病coronary heart disease
冠状动脉coronary artery冠狀動脈
冠军赛championship冠軍賽
桂冠laurel
欧冠UEFA Champions League歐冠
冠冕堂皇high-sounding
衣冠楚楚immaculately dressed
陈冠希Edison Chen (1980-), Hong Kong singer and actor陳冠希
衣冠attire
花冠corolla
树冠treetop樹冠
冠冕royal crown
怒发冲冠fig. seething in anger怒髮衝冠
鸡冠crest雞冠
乔冠华Qiao Guanhua (1913-1973), PRC politician and diplomat喬冠華
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 冠军 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 冠

Yes, 冠 (guān) is a recognized surname in China, although it is not among the most common ones. It can be found in various regions and is often associated with individuals who may have historical or cultural significance.

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