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March 24, 2026
昙(曇)tán(tan2)
The character 昙 (tán) refers to cloudy or overcast conditions, particularly associated with dark clouds. It is often used in weather-related contexts to describe a lack of sunlight or a gloomy atmosphere.
Strokes8Radical日Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, weather plays a significant role in daily life, especially in agriculture. The character 昙 can evoke traditional associations with harvests and farming practices, where cloudy weather can be both a blessing and a curse.
Memory Tip
Imagine a dark cloud (the top component, 昜, looks like a cloud) blocking the sun, casting a shadow. The sound 'tán' can remind you of 'tantrum' - just like the sky throwing a tantrum when it’s cloudy.
Meanings of 昙
tán(tan2)
1cloudy, overcast
2dark clouds
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 昙
昙Simplified
曇Traditional
8Strokes
日Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 昙
Podcast: 昙
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AI Study Notes for 昙
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a dark cloud (the top component, 昜, looks like a cloud) blocking the sun, casting a shadow. The sound 'tán' can remind you of 'tantrum' - just like the sky throwing a tantrum when it’s cloudy.
Usage Notes
Be cautious of the tone when pronouncing 昙; it is pronounced with the second tone (tán). It is often used in more formal contexts related to weather. Common collocations include '昙天' (cloudy sky) and '昙云' (dark clouds).
HSK Study Tips
Although 昙 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, it is beneficial for learners at a higher level to recognize it when discussing weather. Focus on similar words related to weather phenomena, such as 晴 (qíng, clear) and 雨 (yǔ, rain) to build contextual understanding.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, weather plays a significant role in daily life, especially in agriculture. The character 昙 can evoke traditional associations with harvests and farming practices, where cloudy weather can be both a blessing and a curse.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 昙 with other weather-related characters. For example, using 昙 when they mean 晴 (qíng) is a common error. Remember, 昙 specifically refers to cloudy conditions.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 昙
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Cultural Notes for 昙
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, weather plays a significant role in daily life, especially in agriculture. The character 昙 can evoke traditional associations with harvests and farming practices, where cloudy weather can be both a blessing and a curse.
Word Family of 昙
Words Containing This Character3
昙花一现short-lived曇花一現
昙tándark clouds曇
昙花Dutchman's pipe cactus, aka Queen of the Night cactus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)曇花
Exercise 1 of 3
Compound Meaning
What does 昙花一现 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 昙
You can say '今天天气昙' (jīntiān tiānqì tán) meaning 'Today the weather is cloudy.'
It's more commonly seen in written texts, such as weather reports, rather than in everyday conversation.
The opposite would be 晴 (qíng), which means 'clear' or 'sunny'.
