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

氈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.

Strokes17Radical毛
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

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

Podcast: 氈

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Podcast: 氈

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 氈

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.

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)毛
+
Phonetic (sound)亶
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 氈

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

  1. 1The meaning half毛 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亶 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfur
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 氈? 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 氈?

Decomposition of 氈

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 氈?

How to say felt; rug, carpet in Chinese

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

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.

When to use 氈

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.

What learners get wrong

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.

Write 氈

氈

Practice writing 氈 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 氈

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

Compound Meaning

What does 毡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 氈

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

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