Meanings of 欄
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About 欄
Podcast: 欄
Podcast: 欄
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AI Study Notes for 欄
栏 (lán) vs 栏杆 (lángān) — use 欄 for a general term referring to fences or barriers, while 栏杆 specifically denotes railings or balustrades.
While 欄 is often used in formal contexts, like architecture, it can also appear in everyday language when discussing safety or boundaries. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; pay attention to tone, as a wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
Although 欄 is not listed under HSK levels, it connects to other characters related to structures and boundaries. Students should focus on its usage in compound words like 欄杆 (lán gān), meaning 'railing', to expand their vocabulary related to safety and architecture.
Learners often confuse 欄 with other characters that have similar pronunciations. For example, mixing it up with 兰 (lán), which means 'orchid'. Remember that 欄 relates to barriers, while 兰 is a flower.
Pronunciation of 欄
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Etymology of 欄
Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 兰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 欄.
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Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 欄
Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 兰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 欄.
- 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half闌 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywood
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 欄? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 欄
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How to say fence, railing, balustrade in Chinese
“fence, railing, balustrade” in Chinese is欄
The character 欄 (lán) refers to a fence or railing, often used to describe barriers that provide safety or structure in various contexts. It's commonly used in architectural terms and can imply both physical structures, like balconies or terraces, and metaphorical boundaries, such as limits in discussions or rules.
When to use 欄
While 欄 is often used in formal contexts, like architecture, it can also appear in everyday language when discussing safety or boundaries. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; pay attention to tone, as a wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
欄 or something close to it
栏 (lán) vs 栏杆 (lángān) — use 欄 for a general term referring to fences or barriers, while 栏杆 specifically denotes railings or balustrades.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 欄 with other characters that have similar pronunciations. For example, mixing it up with 兰 (lán), which means 'orchid'. Remember that 欄 relates to barriers, while 兰 is a flower.
Write 欄
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Practice writing 欄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 欄
Compound Meaning
What does 栏 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 欄
The correct pronunciation is 'lán', with a rising tone.
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