Meanings of 爛
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About 爛
Podcast: 爛
Podcast: 爛
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AI Study Notes for 爛
腐 (fǔ) - use 爛 (làn) when describing something that is overcooked or overripe; use 腐 (fǔ) for something that is decayed or decomposed.
Learners often confuse 爛 with similar-sounding words like 脸 (liǎn, meaning 'face'), leading to misunderstandings. It is used in both informal and formal contexts, but be mindful of collocations such as 爛掉 (làn diào, 'to spoil completely') and avoid using it in overly polite situations.
While 爛 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding this character will help learners recognize patterns in food-related terms and descriptions of quality. Focus on its usage in everyday scenarios, especially when discussing food or items that have gone bad.
Learners sometimes confuse 爛 with 熟 (shú, meaning 'cooked') when talking about food. For example, saying '这个肉熟了' (zhège ròu shúle) is correct, but saying '这个肉爛了' (zhège ròu lànle) would imply the meat has spoiled, which is not the intended meaning.
Pronunciation of 爛
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Etymology of 爛
Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 兰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 爛.
fire
Origin
爛 = 火 + 闌. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 爛
Parts
Which of these is part of 爛?
How to say overcooked, overripe; rotten, spoiled in Chinese
“overcooked, overripe; rotten, spoiled” in Chinese is爛
The character 爛 (làn) primarily means 'overcooked' or 'overripe,' and can also refer to something that is 'rotten' or 'spoiled.' It is commonly used in contexts related to food, but can also describe anything that has deteriorated in quality or condition, emphasizing a state beyond usability or enjoyment.
When to use 爛
Learners often confuse 爛 with similar-sounding words like 脸 (liǎn, meaning 'face'), leading to misunderstandings. It is used in both informal and formal contexts, but be mindful of collocations such as 爛掉 (làn diào, 'to spoil completely') and avoid using it in overly polite situations.
爛 or something close to it
腐 (fǔ) - use 爛 (làn) when describing something that is overcooked or overripe; use 腐 (fǔ) for something that is decayed or decomposed.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 爛 with 熟 (shú, meaning 'cooked') when talking about food. For example, saying '这个肉熟了' (zhège ròu shúle) is correct, but saying '这个肉爛了' (zhège ròu lànle) would imply the meat has spoiled, which is not the intended meaning.
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Word Family of 爛
Characters with 爛
What does 烂 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 爛
You can say '这个苹果爛了' (zhège píngguǒ lànle), meaning 'This apple is rotten.'
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