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搪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
搪tángto parry, to block; to ward off, to evaden, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #65247, Very Hard
搪tángto keep outunknown, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #65247, Very Hard
搪tángto hold offunknown, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #65247, Very Hard
搪tángto spreadunknown, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #65247, Very Hard
搪tángto coatunknown, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #65247, Very Hard
搪tángto smearunknown, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #65247, Very Hard
搪tángto daubunknown, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #65247, Very Hard
táng(tang2) T2
  1. 1to parry, to block; to ward off, to evade
  2. 2to keep out
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

搪táng(tang2)

The character 搪 (táng) primarily means to parry or block, often in the context of evading an attack or keeping something out. It can also refer to the act of smearing or spreading a substance, making it versatile in terms of usage in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Strokes13Radical扌Frequency#65247DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese martial arts, the concept of 'parrying' or 'blocking' is crucial, symbolizing not just physical defense but also mental strategy in overcoming obstacles. This character can represent the philosophical idea of evasion in conflict resolution.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'tang' of a sword (the character's phonetic sound) parrying away an attack. The 'hands' (扌) radical suggests action, while the 'tang' part visually represents a shield blocking something dangerous. Picture a shield being smeared with a protective coating to keep enemies at bay.

Meanings of 搪

táng(tang2)
1to parry, to block; to ward off, to evade
2to keep out
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 搪

搪Simplified
13Strokes
扌Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 搪

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Podcast: 搪

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AI Study Notes for 搪

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 搪 with similar characters like 挡 (dǎng), which also means to block but carries a slightly different nuance. This character is more commonly used in informal contexts, so be cautious when using it in formal writing. Common collocations might include 搪塞 (tángsè) meaning to evade, and 搪护 (tánghù) meaning to protect.

HSK Study Tips

Though 搪 is not currently included in the HSK lists, understanding it can help with grasping more complex ideas of evasion and protection in intermediate-level vocabulary. Focus on recognizing its components and how they relate to physical and metaphorical contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 搪 with the character 挡 (dǎng), leading to incorrect usage. For instance, saying '我会搪这个问题' (I will block this question) instead of '我会挡这个问题' is incorrect. Use 搪 primarily in contexts of evasion or smearing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 搪

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Etymology of 搪

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 唐 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 搪

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 唐 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half唐 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 搪? 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 搪?

Decomposition of 搪

IDS Structure⿰扌唐
搪Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
唐Tang2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 搪?

How to say to parry, to block; to ward off, to evade in Chinese

“to parry, to block; to ward off, to evade” in Chinese is搪táng

The character 搪 (táng) primarily means to parry or block, often in the context of evading an attack or keeping something out. It can also refer to the act of smearing or spreading a substance, making it versatile in terms of usage in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

When to use 搪

Learners often confuse 搪 with similar characters like 挡 (dǎng), which also means to block but carries a slightly different nuance. This character is more commonly used in informal contexts, so be cautious when using it in formal writing. Common collocations might include 搪塞 (tángsè) meaning to evade, and 搪护 (tánghù) meaning to protect.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 搪 with the character 挡 (dǎng), leading to incorrect usage. For instance, saying '我会搪这个问题' (I will block this question) instead of '我会挡这个问题' is incorrect. Use 搪 primarily in contexts of evasion or smearing.

Write 搪

搪

Practice writing 搪 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 搪

搪 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 7 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我问过她这件事，但她一味____塞。

I've asked her about it but she fobs me off.

Example Sentences for 搪 (3)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我问过她这件事，但她一味搪塞。

wǒ wèn guò tā zhè jiàn shì， ， dàn tā yī wèi táng。

I've asked her about it but she fobs me off.
2
它是用铸铁制成，最后在外面搪了一层石墨。

tā shì yòng zhù tiě zhì chéng， ， zuì hòu zài wài miàn táng le yī céng shí。

Made from cast iron, it is finished in graphite enamel.
3
脱落搪瓷的碗

tuō luò táng cí de wǎn

a chipped enamel bowl

Word Family of 搪

Words Containing This Character4
搪塞to muddle through
搪瓷enamel
搪tángto keep out
推搪to stall
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 搪塞 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 搪

It's not commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in discussions about martial arts or metaphorically in strategic contexts.

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