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氈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
zhānfelt; rug, carpetzg, 17 strokes, radical 毛, Very Hard
zhān(zhan1) T1
  1. 1felt; rug, carpet
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
zhān(zhan1)

The character 氈 (zhān) refers to felt, a type of fabric made by matting, condensing, and pressing fibers together. It is commonly used to make rugs and carpets, particularly in traditional Chinese settings where felt items are valued for their warmth and durability.

Strokes17RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, felt items are often associated with traditional crafts and are used in various festive decorations, showcasing a blend of practicality and artistry.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cozy room filled with colorful rugs made of thick felt, which is soft and warm underfoot. The character 氈 has the radical 气 (air), symbolizing the lightness of felt, while the component '羊' (sheep) reminds us that wool is often used to make felt.

Meanings of 氈

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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 氈

Simplified
17Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 氈

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 氈

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a cozy room filled with colorful rugs made of thick felt, which is soft and warm underfoot. The character 氈 has the radical 气 (air), symbolizing the lightness of felt, while the component '羊' (sheep) reminds us that wool is often used to make felt.

Usage Notes

气 is often used in more formal contexts, so it's important to be aware of the setting when discussing types of fabric. Commonly paired with words like 地毯 (carpet) and 布 (fabric), learners should also pay attention to the pronunciation to avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 氈 is not explicitly listed in the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance comprehension of textiles and household items, which are relevant to HSK Level 3 and above. Focus on how it relates to other fabric-related terms.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, felt items are often associated with traditional crafts and are used in various festive decorations, showcasing a blend of practicality and artistry.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 氈 with similar-sounding characters like 毯 (tǎn, blanket) due to their related meanings. To avoid this, remember that 氈 specifically refers to felt and its applications.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 氈

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Etymology of 氈

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 氈?

Decomposition of 氈

IDS Structure⿰亶毛
Full Character
=
Dan3
left
Mao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 氈?

Write 氈

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 氈

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, felt items are often associated with traditional crafts and are used in various festive decorations, showcasing a blend of practicality and artistry.

Word Family of 氈

Words Containing This Character5
zhānfelt (fabric)
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

Compound Meaning

What does 毡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 氈

氈 is primarily used for making rugs and carpets, especially in traditional crafts.