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歛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
歛hānto fold back, to draw back; to collectx, 17 strokes, radical 欠
歛hānto desireunknown, 17 strokes, radical 欠
歛hānto giveunknown, 17 strokes, radical 欠
歛liǎnto fold back, to draw back; to collectx, 17 strokes, radical 欠
歛liǎnto desireunknown, 17 strokes, radical 欠
歛liǎnto giveunknown, 17 strokes, radical 欠
hān(han1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1to fold back, to draw back; to collect
  2. 2to desire
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

歛hān(han1)

The character 歛 (hān) primarily means to fold back or draw back, often used in contexts relating to collecting or gathering. It can also imply desire or intent to give, encompassing both physical and abstract nuances in its usage.

Strokes17Radical欠
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of 'drawing back' can relate to humility and restraint, often reflected in Confucian values of moderation and self-control.

Memory Tip

Imagine a folding fan that you draw back when it's not in use. The character's top part resembles a hand reaching out (the 'hand' radical), suggesting the action of gathering or collecting, while the bottom part hints at the motion of folding back.

Meanings of 歛

hān(han1)
primary
1to fold back, to draw back; to collect
2to desire
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 歛

歛Simplified
17Strokes
欠Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 歛

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Podcast: 歛

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 歛

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 歛 with its variant forms, such as 斂 (liǎn), so it's essential to remember its unique pronunciation and meaning. It's generally used in more formal contexts, especially in literary texts, and should be avoided in casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 歛 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding its components and similar characters can aid in mastering related terms at your level. Focus on the phonetic similarities with 斂 and practice differentiating their meanings in context.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 歛 in place of 斂 due to their similar meanings; for example, saying '我想要把钱歛起来' (I want to collect money) instead of '我想要把钱斂起来.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 歛

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Etymology of 歛

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

lack

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 歛

  1. 1The meaning half欠 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half僉 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaylack
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 歛? 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 歛?

Decomposition of 歛

IDS Structure⿰僉欠
歛Full Character
=
僉qian1
left
欠qian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 歛?

How to say to fold back, to draw back; to collect in Chinese

“to fold back, to draw back; to collect” in Chinese is歛hān

The character 歛 (hān) primarily means to fold back or draw back, often used in contexts relating to collecting or gathering. It can also imply desire or intent to give, encompassing both physical and abstract nuances in its usage.

When to use 歛

Learners often confuse 歛 with its variant forms, such as 斂 (liǎn), so it's essential to remember its unique pronunciation and meaning. It's generally used in more formal contexts, especially in literary texts, and should be avoided in casual conversation.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is using 歛 in place of 斂 due to their similar meanings; for example, saying '我想要把钱歛起来' (I want to collect money) instead of '我想要把钱斂起来.'

Write 歛

歛

Practice writing 歛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 歛

Words Containing This Character1
歛hānto desire
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 歛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 歛

It is pronounced as hān, with a flat tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 歛?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.