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March 24, 2026
战(戰)zhàn(zhan4)
The character 战 (zhàn) refers to the act of fighting or engaging in war, often associated with battles or conflicts. It can describe both physical confrontations and metaphorical struggles, such as competitive scenarios in business or sports. This term is commonly used in contexts related to military actions, sports competitions, and even personal disputes.
Strokes9Radical戈Frequency#1440DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 战 is deeply intertwined with historical events, such as the numerous dynastic wars and the philosophies of Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War,' which emphasizes strategy in conflict. This character often evokes thoughts of honor, bravery, and the consequences of warfare.
Memory Tip
Imagine a fierce warrior holding a sword (the radical '戈' in 战) ready to fight. The '战' looks like a warrior with a weapon, ready to engage in battle, and it sounds like 'zhàn,' which you can remember as 'zhan the warrior.'
Meanings of 战
zhàn(zhan4)
1to fight
2fight
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 战
战Simplified
戰Traditional
9Strokes
戈Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1440Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6
Podcast: 战
Podcast: 战
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AI Study Notes for 战
Quick Contrast
战争 (zhànzhēng) refers specifically to war on a larger scale, while 战 (zhàn) can denote individual battles or conflicts.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a fierce warrior holding a sword (the radical '戈' in 战) ready to fight. The '战' looks like a warrior with a weapon, ready to engage in battle, and it sounds like 'zhàn,' which you can remember as 'zhan the warrior.'
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 战 with other similar characters, such as 争 (zhēng), which means to argue or compete rather than fight. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but can have a more serious tone when discussing actual warfare. Common collocations include 战争 (zhànzhēng, war) and 战斗 (zhàndòu, combat).
HSK Study Tips
Although 战 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it connects with other HSK vocabulary related to conflict, such as 打 (dǎ, to hit) and 争 (zhēng, to argue). Students should focus on its usage in phrases and contexts related to competition and conflict.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 战 is deeply intertwined with historical events, such as the numerous dynastic wars and the philosophies of Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War,' which emphasizes strategy in conflict. This character often evokes thoughts of honor, bravery, and the consequences of warfare.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 战 with similar terms like 争 (zhēng) or 斗 (dòu). For example, saying '我和他战' (Wǒ hé tā zhàn, 'I and he fight') instead of '我和他打' (Wǒ hé tā dǎ, 'I and he fight') can lead to confusion as it implies a more serious context.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 战
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Grammar Patterns of 战
战 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 5 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.
War turns morality inside out: killing and cruelty are virtues.
10
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.
Cultural Notes for 战
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 战 is deeply intertwined with historical events, such as the numerous dynastic wars and the philosophies of Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War,' which emphasizes strategy in conflict. This character often evokes thoughts of honor, bravery, and the consequences of warfare.
Word Family of 战
Words Containing This Character20
战争zhànzhēngwar戰爭
战zhànfight戰
挑战tiǎozhànto challenge挑戰
战斗zhàndòuto fight戰鬥
战略zhànlüèstrategy戰略
战士zhànshìfighter戰士
战胜zhànshèngto defeat戰勝
作战zuòzhàncombat作戰
战术zhànshùtactics戰術
战场zhànchǎngbattlefield戰場
大战war大戰
战役zhànyìmilitary campaign戰役
开战to start a war開戰
战机war secret戰機
战线battle line戰線
战友zhànyǒucomrade-in-arms戰友
战斗机fighter (aircraft)戰鬥機
二战World War II二戰
备战prepared against war備戰
战利品spoils of war戰利品
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 战争 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 战
战 (zhàn) usually refers to organized fighting, often in a military context, while 打 (dǎ) is more general and can mean to hit or strike. In casual conversation, 打 is used more frequently, whereas 战 is reserved for formal or serious discussions about conflict or war.
While 战 (zhàn) is primarily associated with war and battles, it can be used metaphorically in everyday conversation to express strong competition or conflict, such as in sports or debates. However, it's not as commonly used as other verbs like 打 (dǎ) in casual contexts.
战 (zhàn) means 'to fight' or 'battle' in Chinese. It is commonly used in contexts related to war or conflict. The character can also refer to fighting in a more general sense, not limited to military engagements.
You can use 战 (zhàn) in sentences such as '我们要为和平而战' (Wǒmen yào wèi hépíng ér zhàn), which means 'We must fight for peace.' It can also be combined with other words to form phrases like '战争' (zhànzhēng), meaning 'war.'
It is pronounced as 'zhàn' with a falling tone.
Yes, it can also refer to competitive situations, such as in sports or business.
战 generally refers to war or battle, while 斗 (dòu) focuses more on fighting or bickering.
