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March 24, 2026
滥(濫)làn(lan4)
The character 滥 (làn) primarily means 'to overflow' or 'to flood,' often used to describe excessive or indiscriminate actions. It can refer to overindulgence in various contexts, such as excessive behavior or the indiscriminate use of resources, making it relevant in discussions about moderation and quality.
Strokes13Radical氵Frequency#9476DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of moderation is highly valued, particularly in the context of food, behavior, and business practices. 滥 highlights the negative consequences of excess, which is often referenced in traditional teachings about balance.
Memory Tip
Imagine a river (represented by the water radical 水) overflowing its banks, creating a flood (滥) that washes everything away indiscriminately. The sound 'làn' can remind you of 'land' being taken over by this flood, emphasizing the excessiveness of the situation.
Meanings of 滥
làn(lan4)
1overflowing
2excessive
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 滥
滥Simplified
濫Traditional
13Strokes
氵Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#9476Frequency Rank
Podcast: 滥
Podcast: 滥
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AI Study Notes for 滥
Quick Contrast
滥 (làn) vs 泛 (fàn) — choose 滥 for excessive or indiscriminate actions, while 泛 refers to a general overflow without the connotation of excess.
Usage Notes
滥 is often used in negative contexts, particularly when discussing poor quality or overuse. Common collocations include 滥用 (làn yòng - to abuse) and 滥竽充数 (làn yú chōng shù - to fill a position with unqualified people). Be cautious with the tone; using the wrong tone could change the meaning of the word.
HSK Study Tips
Although 滥 is not currently listed in the HSK levels, it connects with other words related to excess and quality, such as 过 (guò - excessive) and 劣 (liè - inferior). Focus on understanding its use in negative contexts to enhance your vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 滥 with similar-sounding words like 兰 (lán - orchid) and may use it incorrectly in sentences. For example, saying '这道菜太滥了' (This dish is too 'flooded') instead of '这道菜太咸了' (This dish is too salty) demonstrates a misuse of context.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 滥
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 监 represents the sound. Simplified form of 濫.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half监 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 滥? 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 滥?
Decomposition of 滥
IDS Structure⿰氵监
滥Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
监jian1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 滥?
How to say overflowing in Chinese
“overflowing” in Chinese is滥làn
The character 滥 (làn) primarily means 'to overflow' or 'to flood,' often used to describe excessive or indiscriminate actions. It can refer to overindulgence in various contexts, such as excessive behavior or the indiscriminate use of resources, making it relevant in discussions about moderation and quality.
When to use 滥
滥 is often used in negative contexts, particularly when discussing poor quality or overuse. Common collocations include 滥用 (làn yòng - to abuse) and 滥竽充数 (làn yú chōng shù - to fill a position with unqualified people). Be cautious with the tone; using the wrong tone could change the meaning of the word.
滥 or something close to it
滥 (làn) vs 泛 (fàn) — choose 滥 for excessive or indiscriminate actions, while 泛 refers to a general overflow without the connotation of excess.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 滥 with similar-sounding words like 兰 (lán - orchid) and may use it incorrectly in sentences. For example, saying '这道菜太滥了' (This dish is too 'flooded') instead of '这道菜太咸了' (This dish is too salty) demonstrates a misuse of context.
Write 滥
滥
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Grammar Patterns of 滥
滥 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
门德斯先生正领导一场运动，以拯救遭到乱砍____伐的巴西热带雨林。
Mr Mendes was leading a campaign to save Brazil's rainforest from exploitation.
Example Sentences for 滥 (10)
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1
门德斯先生正领导一场运动，以拯救遭到乱砍滥伐的巴西热带雨林。
mén dé sī xiān shēng zhèng lǐng dǎo yī cháng yùn dòng， ， yǐ zhěng jiù zāo dào luàn kǎn làn fá de bā xī rè dài yǔ。
Mr Mendes was leading a campaign to save Brazil's rainforest from exploitation.
2
他被指控滥用秘密的政府行贿基金，金额达1,750万美元。
tā bèi zhǐ kòng làn yòng mì mì de zhèng fǔ háng huì jī jīn， ， jīn é1,750 dá 1,750 wàn。
He's accused of misusing $5 million from a secret government slush fund.
