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湴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
湴bànmud, mirezg, 11 strokes, radical 氵
湴bànto wade through water or mudunknown, 11 strokes, radical 氵
湴bànslushunknown, 11 strokes, radical 氵
湴bànoozeunknown, 11 strokes, radical 氵
湴pánmud, mirezg, 11 strokes, radical 氵
湴pánto wade through water or mudunknown, 11 strokes, radical 氵
湴pánslushunknown, 11 strokes, radical 氵
湴pánoozeunknown, 11 strokes, radical 氵
bàn(ban4)
primary
T4
  1. 1mud, mire
  2. 2to wade through water or mud
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

湴bàn(ban4)

The character 湴 (bàn) refers to muddy or slushy conditions, particularly in the context of water or mire. It describes a state where mud is present and often implies difficulty in movement, such as wading through water or mud. This term is commonly used in literary contexts or descriptions of landscapes.

Strokes11Radical氵
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese poetry, the imagery of mud and mire often symbolizes struggle and the challenges of life, reflecting the deeper philosophical thoughts about nature and human existence.

Memory Tip

Think of 湴 (bàn) as a 'ban' on clean shoes because you're stepping into muddy water. The radical 水 (water) suggests its connection to wetness, while the character's form evokes the idea of being bogged down in sludge.

Meanings of 湴

bàn(ban4)
primary
1mud, mire
2to wade through water or mud
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 湴

湴Simplified
11Strokes
氵Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 湴

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Podcast: 湴

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AI Study Notes for 湴

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 湴 (bàn) with similar-sounding words or characters that describe cleaner water or different states of liquid. It is more formal and specific, so avoid using it in casual conversation unless discussing specific conditions like a rainy day or a muddy path.

HSK Study Tips

Although 湴 is not part of the HSK curriculum, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to nature and environmental conditions. Focus on related words like 泥 (ní, mud) and 水 (shuǐ, water) to build a more comprehensive understanding of the context.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 湴 (bàn) with 泥 (ní), mistakenly using the latter when they want to express the action of wading through muddy water. For example, saying '我在泥里行走' instead of '我在湴里行走' can lead to a mix-up in meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 湴

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Etymology of 湴

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

water

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 湴

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half並 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 湴? 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 湴?

Decomposition of 湴

IDS Structure⿰氵並
湴Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
並bing4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 湴?

How to say mud, mire in Chinese

“mud, mire” in Chinese is湴bàn

The character 湴 (bàn) refers to muddy or slushy conditions, particularly in the context of water or mire. It describes a state where mud is present and often implies difficulty in movement, such as wading through water or mud. This term is commonly used in literary contexts or descriptions of landscapes.

When to use 湴

Be careful not to confuse 湴 (bàn) with similar-sounding words or characters that describe cleaner water or different states of liquid. It is more formal and specific, so avoid using it in casual conversation unless discussing specific conditions like a rainy day or a muddy path.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 湴 (bàn) with 泥 (ní), mistakenly using the latter when they want to express the action of wading through muddy water. For example, saying '我在泥里行走' instead of '我在湴里行走' can lead to a mix-up in meaning.

Write 湴

湴

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

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Word Family of 湴

Words Containing This Character1
湴bànmud
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 湴 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 湴

You would use 湴 when describing a landscape that is muddy or when discussing conditions that involve wading through water.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 湴?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.