Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
啴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
chǎnmany; to pantx, 11 strokes, radical 口, Very Hard
tānmany; to pantx, 11 strokes, radical 口, Very Hard
chǎn(chan3)
primary
T3
  1. 1many; to pant
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(嘽)chǎn(chan3)

The character 啴 (chǎn) generally conveys the idea of panting or gasping for breath, often associated with physical exertion or emotional stress. It can also refer to a state of being overwhelmed or having many things to deal with. This character is less common in everyday usage, often appearing in literary contexts or specific expressions.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The concept of panting or gasping resonates with Chinese literary themes that often explore the emotional and physical states of characters during times of stress or struggle, reflecting the importance of resilience in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person running up a hill, gasping for air, with their chest heaving. The '口' (kǒu) radical represents the mouth, which is used for breathing, while '啴' suggests the sound of panting. Picture them exclaiming, 'I have so many things to do,' as they catch their breath, linking the character to both the act of panting and the idea of being overwhelmed.

Meanings of 啴

chǎn(chan3)
primary
1many; to pant
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 啴

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

Podcast: 啴

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 啴

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person running up a hill, gasping for air, with their chest heaving. The '口' (kǒu) radical represents the mouth, which is used for breathing, while '啴' suggests the sound of panting. Picture them exclaiming, 'I have so many things to do,' as they catch their breath, linking the character to both the act of panting and the idea of being overwhelmed.

Usage Notes

啴 is often used in more formal or literary contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters like 嘽 (tán), which can have different meanings. Pay attention to the tone, as mispronouncing it with the wrong tone may lead to confusion.

HSK Study Tips

While 啴 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, understanding it can deepen your knowledge of characters related to breathing and emotions. Students at this level should focus on tone distinctions and the context in which less common characters are used.

Cultural Note

The concept of panting or gasping resonates with Chinese literary themes that often explore the emotional and physical states of characters during times of stress or struggle, reflecting the importance of resilience in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 啴 by using the wrong tone, such as saying 'tan' instead of 'chǎn.' Additionally, they might confuse it with similar characters like 嘽, which has a different meaning altogether.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 啴

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 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 啴

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

mouth

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 啴?

Decomposition of 啴

IDS Structure⿰口单
Full Character
=
kou3
left
dan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 啴?

Write 啴

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 啴

🏮Cultural insight

The concept of panting or gasping resonates with Chinese literary themes that often explore the emotional and physical states of characters during times of stress or struggle, reflecting the importance of resilience in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 啴

Words Containing This Character1
chǎngrand
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 啴 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 啴

The character 啴 is pronounced as chǎn, with a falling-rising tone. Practice this by emphasizing the tone while saying it.