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毡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
毡zhānfelt; rug, carpetng, 9 strokes, radical 毛, rank #31421, Very Hard
毡zhānfelt (fabric)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 毛, rank #31421, Very Hard
zhān(zhan1)zhan T1
  1. 1felt; rug, carpet
  2. 2felt (fabric)
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March 24, 2026

毡(氈)zhān(zhan1)

The character 毡 (zhān) refers to felt, a type of fabric made from fibers that are compressed together. It is commonly used for making rugs, carpets, and other items where a soft, durable material is needed. In Chinese culture, felt items can often be found in traditional crafts and warm clothing.

Strokes9Radical毛Frequency#31421DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

Felt has a unique place in traditional Chinese crafts, especially in regions known for textile production, such as Inner Mongolia, where felt is used in yurts and traditional clothing.

Memory tip

Imagine a cozy room where a soft felt rug (zhān) lies on the floor. The character 毡 looks like a fluffy cloud, reminding you of the soft texture of felt. The 'zh' sound can be associated with 'gentle', as in the gentle touch of felt.

Meanings of 毡

zhān(zhan1)
1felt; rug, carpet
2felt (fabric)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 毡 means.

About 毡

毡Simplified
氈Traditional
9Strokes
毛Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 毡

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Podcast: 毡

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AI study notes for 毡

Usage Notes

A common mistake is to confuse 毡 with similar-sounding words that refer to other fabrics. This word is more often used in informal contexts, but can also appear in discussions about textiles in more formal settings. Be careful with the fourth tone; mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 毡 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be linked to other fabric-related vocabulary at this level, such as 布 (bù, cloth) and 织 (zhī, to weave). Students should focus on the tones and the context in which fabric-related vocabulary is used.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 毡 with the character 斑 (bān), which means 'spot' or 'splotch'. To correct this, remember that 毡 relates specifically to fabric, while 斑 does not.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 毡

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Etymology of 毡

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

Phonosemantic compound. 毛 represents the meaning and 占 represents the sound. Simplified form of 氈.

Memory hint

fur

Semantic (meaning)毛
+
Phonetic (sound)占
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

毡 = 毛 + 占. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 毡

IDS Structure⿺毛占
毡Full character
=
毛Mao2
enclosing
占zhan1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 毡?

How to say felt; rug, carpet in Chinese

“felt; rug, carpet” in Chinese is毡zhān

The character 毡 (zhān) refers to felt, a type of fabric made from fibers that are compressed together. It is commonly used for making rugs, carpets, and other items where a soft, durable material is needed. In Chinese culture, felt items can often be found in traditional crafts and warm clothing.

When to use 毡

A common mistake is to confuse 毡 with similar-sounding words that refer to other fabrics. This word is more often used in informal contexts, but can also appear in discussions about textiles in more formal settings. Be careful with the fourth tone; mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 毡 with the character 斑 (bān), which means 'spot' or 'splotch'. To correct this, remember that 毡 relates specifically to fabric, while 斑 does not.

Write 毡

毡

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

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Grammar patterns of 毡

毡 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 2 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

用黑色____头笔画出基本轮廓(见图4)。

Draw the basic outlines in black felt-tip pen (see fig. 4).

Example sentences for 毡 (6)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
用黑色毡头笔画出基本轮廓(见图4)。

yòng hēisè zhān tóu bǐhuà chū jīběn lúnkuò( jiàn tú4)。

Draw the basic outlines in black felt-tip pen (see fig. 4).
2
用浓黑色的毡笔画出你孩子的轮廓。

yòng nóng hēisè de zhān bǐhuà chū nǐ háizi de lúnkuò。

Draw your child's outline with a heavy black marker.
3
谁将铺设地板油毡?

shéi jiāng pū shè dìbǎn yóu zhān?

Who will lay the linoleum?
4
用不同颜色的毡头笔画草图,以免搞混。

yòng bùtóng yánsè de zhān tóu bǐhuà cǎo tú, yǐmiǎn gǎo hùn。

Use different colours of felt pen on your sketch to avoid confusion.
5
油地毡卷角了。

yóu dì zhān juǎn jiǎo le。

The corners of the lino were curling up.
6
她们行完礼, 瑞珏 又牵了 海臣 到红毡上去叩头.

tāmen xíng wán lǐ, ruì jué yòu qiān le hǎi chén dào hóng zhān shàngqù kòu tóu.

Jui - chueh then brought forward her little son Hai - chen, to pay his respects.

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Word Family of 毡

Words containing this character5
毡zhānfelt (fabric)氈
如坐针毡lit. as if sitting on pins and needles如坐針氈
毛毡felt毛氈
毡子felt (fabric)氈子
针毡(on) pins and needles針氈
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 毡

What does 如坐针毡 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 毡

It is pronounced as 'zhān' with a high falling tone.

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