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汕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
汕shànbamboo; basket for catching fish; Shantouns, 6 strokes, radical 氵, rank #64758, Very Hard
汕shànbamboo fish trapunknown, 6 strokes, radical 氵, rank #64758, Very Hard
汕shànused in names of places connected with Shantou 汕頭|汕头[Shan4 tou2]unknown, 6 strokes, radical 氵, rank #64758, Very Hard
shàn(shan4) T4
  1. 1bamboo; basket for catching fish; Shantou
  2. 2bamboo fish trap
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March 24, 2026

汕shàn(shan4)

The character 汕 (shàn) primarily refers to a type of bamboo used in fishing, particularly as a trap for catching fish. It is also associated with the city of Shantou in Guangdong province, where the character is commonly found in place names. This character is often used in contexts related to fishing or locations in southern China.

Strokes6Radical氵Frequency#64758DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

汕头 is known for its rich history as a port city and its unique culinary traditions, especially seafood dishes. The use of bamboo traps for fishing is also a traditional practice in southern coastal areas of China.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bamboo fish trap (汕) sitting by the shore, ready to catch fish. The '水' (water) radical suggests it's related to water activities, while the '山' (mountain) component hints at the natural environment where such traps are used. Visualize the sound 'shàn' as the splash of water when a fish is caught.

Meanings of 汕

shàn(shan4)
1bamboo; basket for catching fish; Shantou
2bamboo fish trap
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 汕

汕Simplified
6Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 汕

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Podcast: 汕

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AI Study Notes for 汕

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a bamboo fish trap (汕) sitting by the shore, ready to catch fish. The '水' (water) radical suggests it's related to water activities, while the '山' (mountain) component hints at the natural environment where such traps are used. Visualize the sound 'shàn' as the splash of water when a fish is caught.

Usage Notes

汕 is mostly used in geographical contexts, especially in relation to Shantou. Learners often confuse it with similar-sounding characters, so pay attention to the tones. Be mindful that in formal settings, you may need to include the full name of the place (e.g., 汕头) rather than just 汕.

HSK Study Tips

While 汕 is not an HSK level word, it connects to HSK vocabulary related to water and fish (like 鱼 yú). Focus on understanding related geographical names and how they might appear in everyday conversation about locations in China.

Cultural Note

汕头 is known for its rich history as a port city and its unique culinary traditions, especially seafood dishes. The use of bamboo traps for fishing is also a traditional practice in southern coastal areas of China.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 汕 with similar characters like 山 (shān), which means mountain. A common mistake is using the wrong tone, saying 'shang' instead of 'shàn.' Always remember to use the correct tone when speaking.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 汕

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Etymology of 汕

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

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 山 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

water

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 汕?

Decomposition of 汕

IDS Structure⿰氵山
汕Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
山Shan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 汕?

Write 汕

汕

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

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Cultural Notes for 汕

🏮Cultural insight

汕头 is known for its rich history as a port city and its unique culinary traditions, especially seafood dishes. The use of bamboo traps for fishing is also a traditional practice in southern coastal areas of China.

Word Family of 汕

Words Containing This Character8
汕shànbamboo fish trap
汕头Shantou (formerly romanized as Swatow), prefecture-level city in Guangdong汕頭
潮汕Chaoshan, conurbation in the east of Guangdong 廣東|广东[Guǎng​dōng]
汕头市Shantou prefecture-level city in Guangdong汕頭市
汕尾Shanwei prefecture level city in Guangdong
汕头大学Shantou University汕頭大學
汕尾市Shanwei prefecture level city in Guangdong province
汕头地区Shantou prefecture, Guangdong汕頭地區
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 汕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 汕

汕 refers to a bamboo fish trap used for catching fish, emphasizing traditional fishing methods.