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栓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
栓shuāncork, peg, stoppern, 10 strokes, radical 木, rank #10926, Very Hard
栓shuānbottle stopperunknown, 10 strokes, radical 木, rank #10926, Very Hard
栓shuānplugunknown, 10 strokes, radical 木, rank #10926, Very Hard
栓shuān(gun) boltunknown, 10 strokes, radical 木, rank #10926, Very Hard
栓shuān(grenade) pinunknown, 10 strokes, radical 木, rank #10926, Very Hard
shuān(shuan1) T1
  1. 1cork, peg, stopper
  2. 2bottle stopper
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

栓shuān(shuan1)

The character 栓 (shuān) refers to an object used to seal or close openings, such as a cork or stopper for bottles. It can also denote other forms of plugs or bolts, commonly found in various mechanical contexts. This word is often used in discussions related to containers or securing mechanisms.

Strokes10Radical木Frequency#10926DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the use of cork stoppers in traditional wine vessels, such as those for rice wine, highlights the importance of preserving flavors in culinary practices. The character encapsulates not just the physical object, but also the cultural significance of preservation.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cork (栓) sealing a bottle tightly, preventing any liquid from escaping. The character has a tree radical (木) suggesting its material nature, and the sound 'shuān' can remind you of 'shut,' as in shutting a bottle with a cork.

Meanings of 栓

shuān(shuan1)
1cork, peg, stopper
2bottle stopper
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 栓

栓Simplified
10Strokes
木Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 栓

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Podcast: 栓

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 栓

Quick Contrast

塞 (sāi) vs 插 (chā) — use 栓 when specifically referring to a stopper or cork, while 塞 implies blocking or filling an opening, and 插 indicates inserting something into a space.

Usage Notes

Be aware that 栓 is generally used in more technical or specific contexts, so it may not be appropriate for casual conversation. Common collocations include '酒瓶栓' (wine bottle stopper) and '枪栓' (gun bolt). Make sure to use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it may lead to confusion with similar sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

While 栓 is not specifically listed in the HSK vocabulary, it connects to Level 4 terms related to everyday objects. Students should focus on understanding its use in context, especially in technical language related to tools and containers.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 栓 with similar-sounding words that refer to other types of closures, leading to sentences like '我需要一个栓来关门' (I need a stopper to close the door), which should instead use a word like '门闩' (mén shuān, door latch).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 栓

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Etymology of 栓

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

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 全 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

wood

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 栓

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 全 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half全 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywood
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 栓? 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 栓?

Decomposition of 栓

IDS Structure⿰木全
栓Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
全Quan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 栓?

How to say cork, peg, stopper in Chinese

“cork, peg, stopper” in Chinese is栓shuān

The character 栓 (shuān) refers to an object used to seal or close openings, such as a cork or stopper for bottles. It can also denote other forms of plugs or bolts, commonly found in various mechanical contexts. This word is often used in discussions related to containers or securing mechanisms.

When to use 栓

Be aware that 栓 is generally used in more technical or specific contexts, so it may not be appropriate for casual conversation. Common collocations include '酒瓶栓' (wine bottle stopper) and '枪栓' (gun bolt). Make sure to use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it may lead to confusion with similar sounding words.

栓 or something close to it

塞 (sāi) vs 插 (chā) — use 栓 when specifically referring to a stopper or cork, while 塞 implies blocking or filling an opening, and 插 indicates inserting something into a space.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 栓 with similar-sounding words that refer to other types of closures, leading to sentences like '我需要一个栓来关门' (I need a stopper to close the door), which should instead use a word like '门闩' (mén shuān, door latch).

Write 栓

栓

Practice writing 栓 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 栓

栓 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

结论: 东菱克____酶是治疗糖尿病足有效药物.

Conclusion: Batroxobin is effective medicine for cure diabetic foot.

Example Sentences for 栓 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
结论: 东菱克栓酶是治疗糖尿病足有效药物.

jié lùn: : dōng líng kè shuān méi shì zhì liáo táng niào bìng zú yǒu xiào yào.

Conclusion: Batroxobin is effective medicine for cure diabetic foot.
2
螺母上有内 ( 或阴 ) 螺纹,与螺栓上的螺纹相啮合.

luó mǔ shàng yǒu nèi( ( huò) yīn ), luó wén , yǔ luó shuān shàng de luó wén.

Nuts have internal ( or female ) threads to match those of the Bolt.
3
埃迪将自动步枪的保险栓重新拉上。

āi dí jiāng zì dòng bù qiāng de bǎo xiǎn shuān zhòng xīn lā shàng。

Eddie slipped the safety catch on his automatic back into place.
4
长途航班上的乘客须注意可能出现深静脉血栓。

cháng tú háng bān shàng de chéng kè xū zhù yì kě néng chū xiàn shēn jìng mài xiě shuān。

Passengers on long-haul flights are being warned about the risks of deep vein thrombosis.
5
他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。

tā yòng mù chuí měng qiāo mù shuān dǐng。

He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet.

Word Family of 栓

Words Containing This Character10
栓shuānplug
血栓xuèshuānblood clot
栓塞thrombosis
螺栓screw
消防栓fire hydrant
栓剂suppository栓劑
枪栓gun bolt槍栓
消火栓fire hydrant
栓皮cork
栓皮栎Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis)栓皮櫟
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 栓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 栓

You might hear '请把瓶子栓好' (Please cork the bottle) or '这个枪栓很重要' (This gun bolt is very important).

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