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澉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
澉gǎnto wash; a place namens, 14 strokes, radical 氵
澉gǎnplace nameunknown, 14 strokes, radical 氵
澉gǎnwashunknown, 14 strokes, radical 氵
gǎn(gan3) T3
  1. 1to wash; a place name
  2. 2place name
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March 24, 2026

澉gǎn(gan3)

The character 澉 (gǎn) primarily means 'to wash' and is often used in the context of cleaning or cleansing items, particularly in a more formal or literary sense. It can also refer to certain place names in China, indicating its geographical significance. The character is less commonly used in everyday conversation compared to more frequently used terms for 'wash.'

Strokes14Radical氵
Cultural Note

澉 is associated with specific geographical locations in China, often linked to areas with rivers or lakes, reflecting the importance of water in Chinese culture and daily life. Understanding local place names can enhance your appreciation of Chinese geography and community.

Memory Tip

Think of 澉 (gǎn) as a 'gentle wash'—the water radical 水 (shuǐ) at the bottom suggests liquid, while the character's overall shape can resemble waves gently washing over a shore. Imagine a serene riverbank where you wash your clothes, reinforcing both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 澉

gǎn(gan3)
1to wash; a place name
2place name
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 澉

澉Simplified
14Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 澉

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Podcast: 澉

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AI Study Notes for 澉

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 澉 with the more common 洗 (xǐ), which also means 'to wash.' While 澉 carries a more literary tone, 洗 is used in everyday conversation. Pay attention to the context in which you use 澉 to avoid sounding overly formal.

HSK Study Tips

As 澉 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it may be beneficial for learners at HSK Level 4 and above to explore this word in relation to other wash-related terms like 洗 (xǐ) and 清洗 (qīng xǐ). Focus on reading more advanced texts to encounter this character in context.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mispronounce 澉 as 'zhǎn' instead of the correct 'gǎn.' Additionally, using 澉 in informal contexts may seem out of place; for example, saying '我澉衣服' (wǒ gǎn yīfú) instead of '我洗衣服' (wǒ xǐ yīfú) sounds awkward.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 澉

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Etymology of 澉

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

water

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 澉

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half敢 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 澉? 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 澉?

Decomposition of 澉

IDS Structure⿰氵敢
澉Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
敢gan3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 澉?

How to say to wash; a place name in Chinese

“to wash; a place name” in Chinese is澉gǎn

The character 澉 (gǎn) primarily means 'to wash' and is often used in the context of cleaning or cleansing items, particularly in a more formal or literary sense. It can also refer to certain place names in China, indicating its geographical significance. The character is less commonly used in everyday conversation compared to more frequently used terms for 'wash.'

When to use 澉

Learners often confuse 澉 with the more common 洗 (xǐ), which also means 'to wash.' While 澉 carries a more literary tone, 洗 is used in everyday conversation. Pay attention to the context in which you use 澉 to avoid sounding overly formal.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mispronounce 澉 as 'zhǎn' instead of the correct 'gǎn.' Additionally, using 澉 in informal contexts may seem out of place; for example, saying '我澉衣服' (wǒ gǎn yīfú) instead of '我洗衣服' (wǒ xǐ yīfú) sounds awkward.

Write 澉

澉

Practice writing 澉 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 澉

Words Containing This Character1
澉gǎnwash
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 澉 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 澉

No, 澉 is more literary and less common in everyday speech compared to 洗.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 澉?

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.