Meanings of 湍
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About 湍
Podcast: 湍
Podcast: 湍
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AI Study Notes for 湍
湍 (tuān) vs 流 (liú): Use 湍 when emphasizing strong currents or rapids, while 流 refers more generally to the movement of water.
Learners often confuse 湍 with similar characters like 流 (liú), which means 'flow' but is less intense. 湍 is more commonly used in literary or descriptive contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Be mindful of the tone; it's pronounced with a high level tone (1st tone).
Although 湍 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to HSK level 4 vocabulary related to nature and geography. Focus on recognizing characters with the '水' radical, as they often relate to water and its characteristics.
A common mistake is to confuse 湍 with 湧 (yǒng), which means 'to surge' or 'to well up.' For example, saying '湍水' (tuān shuǐ) to mean 'rushing water' is correct, but using it in a context meant for '湧水' would be incorrect.
Pronunciation of 湍
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Etymology of 湍
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 耑 represents the sound.
water
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 湍
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 耑 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half耑 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywater
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 湍? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 湍
Identify the Components
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How to say current, rapids in Chinese
“current, rapids” in Chinese is湍
The character 湍 (tuān) refers to a strong current or rapids in a river. It is often used to describe the swift, turbulent movement of water, conveying a sense of rushing or flowing quickly. This term is common in contexts related to nature, geography, and water dynamics.
When to use 湍
Learners often confuse 湍 with similar characters like 流 (liú), which means 'flow' but is less intense. 湍 is more commonly used in literary or descriptive contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Be mindful of the tone; it's pronounced with a high level tone (1st tone).
湍 or something close to it
湍 (tuān) vs 流 (liú): Use 湍 when emphasizing strong currents or rapids, while 流 refers more generally to the movement of water.
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is to confuse 湍 with 湧 (yǒng), which means 'to surge' or 'to well up.' For example, saying '湍水' (tuān shuǐ) to mean 'rushing water' is correct, but using it in a context meant for '湧水' would be incorrect.
Write 湍
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Practice writing 湍 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 湍
湍 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
这条河水流____急，变幻莫测。
The current of the river is fast flowing and treacherous.
Example Sentences for 湍 (4)
Word Family of 湍
Compound Meaning
What does 湍流 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 湍
湍 (tuān) refers specifically to rapids or strong currents, while 流 (liú) is a more general term for flow.
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