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湓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
湓pénan affluent of the Yangtze riverg, 12 strokes, radical 氵
湓pénflowing of waterunknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵
湓pénname of a riverunknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵
pén(pen2) T2
  1. 1an affluent of the Yangtze river
  2. 2flowing of water
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

湓pén(pen2)

The character 湓 (pén) refers to a specific affluent of the Yangtze River, symbolizing the flowing nature of water. It is often used in geographical contexts to describe rivers and their tributaries, reflecting the importance of waterways in Chinese culture and geography.

Strokes12Radical氵
Cultural Note

The Yangtze River is one of the most significant rivers in China, playing a crucial role in the country's history, economy, and culture. The character 湓 symbolizes not just a physical feature but also the life and resources that rivers provide.

Memory Tip

Imagine a flowing river (the radical 水, meaning water) shaped like a pen (pén) as it writes the story of the land. The water flows smoothly, just like ink from a pen, creating life and richness along its banks.

Meanings of 湓

pén(pen2)
1an affluent of the Yangtze river
2flowing of water
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 湓

湓Simplified
12Strokes
氵Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 湓

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Podcast: 湓

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AI Study Notes for 湓

Usage Notes

This character is primarily used in formal contexts, such as geographical names, and may not be commonly found in everyday conversation. Be careful with pronunciation, as misplacing tones can lead to confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

While 湓 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your geographical vocabulary related to rivers, which often appear in HSK materials. Focus on the context of rivers and their significance in Chinese culture for deeper comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 湓 with similar-sounding words related to water but with different meanings. For example, saying 'pán' instead of 'pén' can lead to misunderstandings, as 'pán' refers to a plate rather than a river.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 湓

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Etymology of 湓

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

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)盆
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 湓

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half盆 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 湓? 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 湓?

Decomposition of 湓

IDS Structure⿰氵盆
湓Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
盆pen2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 湓?

How to say an affluent of the Yangtze river in Chinese

“an affluent of the Yangtze river” in Chinese is湓pén

The character 湓 (pén) refers to a specific affluent of the Yangtze River, symbolizing the flowing nature of water. It is often used in geographical contexts to describe rivers and their tributaries, reflecting the importance of waterways in Chinese culture and geography.

When to use 湓

This character is primarily used in formal contexts, such as geographical names, and may not be commonly found in everyday conversation. Be careful with pronunciation, as misplacing tones can lead to confusion with other words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 湓 with similar-sounding words related to water but with different meanings. For example, saying 'pán' instead of 'pén' can lead to misunderstandings, as 'pán' refers to a plate rather than a river.

Write 湓

湓

Practice writing 湓 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 湓

Words Containing This Character1
湓pénflowing of water
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 湓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 湓

It translates to an affluent of the Yangtze River, related to the flowing of water.

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