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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Jason Explains 湍 to You
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Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
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Etymology of 湍
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 耑 represents the sound.
water
Origin
湍 = 氵 + 耑. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 湍
Parts
Which of these is part of 湍?
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.
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
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)
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Word Family of 湍
Words with 湍
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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