Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
剡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
剡shànsharp, pointed; to sharpenns, 10 strokes, radical 刂
剡shànriver in Zhejiangunknown, 10 strokes, radical 刂
剡yǎnsharp, pointed; to sharpenns, 10 strokes, radical 刂
剡yǎnriver in Zhejiangunknown, 10 strokes, radical 刂
shàn(shan4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1sharp, pointed; to sharpen
  2. 2river in Zhejiang
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

剡shàn(shan4)

The character 剡 (shàn) primarily means 'sharp' or 'pointed', often used to describe objects with a fine edge or a precise point. It can also refer to the action of sharpening something. Additionally, it denotes a river in Zhejiang province, emphasizing its geographical significance.

Strokes10Radical刂
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese craftsmanship, sharp tools are essential for precision in art forms like calligraphy and wood carving. The emphasis on sharpness reflects the cultural value placed on meticulous skill and detail.

Memory Tip

Think of 剡 as a sharp knife cutting through paper. The left part (刂) represents a knife, while the right part (山) resembles a mountain peak, which is sharp and pointed. Imagine a sharp knife used to carve the mountain's edge, linking the character to its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 剡

shàn(shan4)
primary
1sharp, pointed; to sharpen
2river in Zhejiang
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 剡

剡Simplified
10Strokes
刂Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 剡

JasonAmy

Podcast: 剡

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 剡

Usage Notes

This character is often used in literary or formal contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding words like '善' (shàn, good) or using it incorrectly in colloquial settings. Pay attention to the tone to avoid miscommunication.

HSK Study Tips

Although 剡 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your knowledge of characters related to sharpness and precision. Students at this level should focus on recognizing its components and connecting them to similar characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 剡 with 剣 (jiàn), which means sword. For example, saying '我有一个剡' (wǒ yǒu yí gè shàn) instead of '我有一把剑' (wǒ yǒu yì bǎ jiàn) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 剡

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 剡 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 剡

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

knife

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 剡

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

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

Want the full history of 剡? 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 剡?

Decomposition of 剡

IDS Structure⿰炎刂
剡Full Character
=
炎yan2
left
刂dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 剡?

How to say sharp, pointed; to sharpen in Chinese

“sharp, pointed; to sharpen” in Chinese is剡shàn

The character 剡 (shàn) primarily means 'sharp' or 'pointed', often used to describe objects with a fine edge or a precise point. It can also refer to the action of sharpening something. Additionally, it denotes a river in Zhejiang province, emphasizing its geographical significance.

When to use 剡

This character is often used in literary or formal contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding words like '善' (shàn, good) or using it incorrectly in colloquial settings. Pay attention to the tone to avoid miscommunication.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 剡 with 剣 (jiàn), which means sword. For example, saying '我有一个剡' (wǒ yǒu yí gè shàn) instead of '我有一把剑' (wǒ yǒu yì bǎ jiàn) can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 剡

剡

Practice writing 剡 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 剡

Words Containing This Character1
剡shànriver in Zhejiang
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 剡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 剡

The pronunciation is 'shàn', with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 剡?

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.