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壇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
壇tánaltar; arena; examination hallzg, 16 strokes, radical 土
tán(tan2) T2
  1. 1altar; arena; examination hall
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

壇tán(tan2)

The character '坛' (tán) primarily refers to an altar, a raised platform used in religious or ceremonial contexts. It can also denote an arena or examination hall, signifying a space designated for specific events or activities. Its usage often conveys a sense of formality and purpose.

Strokes16Radical土
Cultural Note

'坛' is significant in Chinese culture, especially in traditional ceremonies like ancestor worship, where altars are central to rituals. The concept of a space dedicated to reverence is deeply rooted in Chinese history.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand altar (坛) where important ceremonies take place. The character has a base of '土' (earth), symbolizing the ground where such significant events occur, and '壇' sounds like 'tan,' similar to 'stand,' where one stands before the altar.

Meanings of 壇

tán(tan2)
1altar; arena; examination hall
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 壇

壇Simplified
16Strokes
土Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 壇

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Podcast: 壇

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AI Study Notes for 壇

Quick Contrast

祭坛 (jìtán, sacrificial altar) vs 礼坛 (lǐtán, ceremonial altar) — use '坛' for general references, while '祭坛' specifies a sacrificial context and '礼坛' emphasizes ceremonial purposes.

Usage Notes

Be cautious as '坛' is often used in formal contexts, such as religious ceremonies, and may not be appropriate for casual conversation. Common collocations include '祭坛' (sacrificial altar) and '讲坛' (lecture platform). Remember to pronounce it with the second tone to avoid confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although '坛' is not included in the HSK levels, it is a good example of characters related to places and events, which are often seen in HSK vocabulary. Students should focus on understanding its application in formal contexts and how it connects to other place-related words.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse '坛' with '坛' (tán) and '台' (tái), leading to incorrect usage in contexts. For example, saying '讲台' (lecture altar) instead of '讲坛' (lecture platform) can convey the wrong meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 壇

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Etymology of 壇

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

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 云 represents the sound. Simplified form of 壇.

Memory Hint

earth

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 壇

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 云 represents the sound. Simplified form of 壇.

  1. 1The meaning half土 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亶 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayearth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 壇? 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 壇?

Decomposition of 壇

IDS Structure⿰土亶
壇Full Character
=
土Tu3
left
亶Dan3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 壇?

How to say altar; arena; examination hall in Chinese

“altar; arena; examination hall” in Chinese is壇tán

The character '坛' (tán) primarily refers to an altar, a raised platform used in religious or ceremonial contexts. It can also denote an arena or examination hall, signifying a space designated for specific events or activities. Its usage often conveys a sense of formality and purpose.

When to use 壇

Be cautious as '坛' is often used in formal contexts, such as religious ceremonies, and may not be appropriate for casual conversation. Common collocations include '祭坛' (sacrificial altar) and '讲坛' (lecture platform). Remember to pronounce it with the second tone to avoid confusion with other characters.

壇 or something close to it

祭坛 (jìtán, sacrificial altar) vs 礼坛 (lǐtán, ceremonial altar) — use '坛' for general references, while '祭坛' specifies a sacrificial context and '礼坛' emphasizes ceremonial purposes.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse '坛' with '坛' (tán) and '台' (tái), leading to incorrect usage in contexts. For example, saying '讲台' (lecture altar) instead of '讲坛' (lecture platform) can convey the wrong meaning.

Write 壇

壇

Practice writing 壇 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 壇

Words Containing This Character19
论坛lùntánforum (for discussion)論壇
祭坛altar祭壇
坛tánplatform壇
政坛political circles政壇
乐坛music circles樂壇
歌坛singing stage歌壇
坛子jug (earthenware with a big belly and a small opening)罈子
足坛soccer circles足壇
花坛Huatan township in Changhua county 彰化縣|彰化县[Zhāng​huà​xiàn], Taiwan花壇
影坛moviedom影壇
体坛sporting circles體壇
文坛literary circles文壇
讲坛a platform (to speak)講壇
天坛Temple of Heaven (in Beijing)天壇
诗坛poetry circles詩壇
画坛painting world畫壇
金坛Jintan county level city in Changzhou 常州[Cháng​zhōu], Jiangsu金壇
地坛Temple of Earth (in Beijing)地壇
醋坛子vinegar jar醋罈子
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 论坛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 壇

'坛' specifically refers to a ceremonial or formal platform, while '台' is a more general term for a platform or stage.

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