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March 24, 2026
甘Gān(Gan1)
The character 甘 (gān) primarily means 'sweet' and is often used to describe the taste of food or beverages. It can also imply a sense of willingness or readiness in various contexts, such as accepting a situation or task. In addition, 甘 is a common surname in China and is an abbreviation for Gansu Province.
Strokes5Radical甘Frequency#5428DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, sweetness is often associated with good fortune and happiness, making 甘 an important character in food-related expressions. Additionally, Gansu Province is known for its natural beauty and diverse culture, which adds depth to the character when used in that context.
Memory Tip
Imagine a candy (甘) that is both sweet and pleasing. The character itself has a simple form, resembling a mouth (口) enjoying sweetness (甘), which can help you remember its meaning of 'sweet' and 'willingness'. Visualize a person happily saying '甘' while tasting their favorite dessert.
Meanings of 甘
Gān(Gan1)
1abbr. for Gansu Province 甘肅省
2sweet
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 甘
甘Simplified
5Strokes
甘Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#5428Frequency Rank
Podcast: 甘
Podcast: 甘
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AI Study Notes for 甘
Quick Contrast
甜 (tián) — use 甘 (gān) when emphasizing a willingness or readiness, while 甜 (tián) strictly refers to sweetness in taste.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a candy (甘) that is both sweet and pleasing. The character itself has a simple form, resembling a mouth (口) enjoying sweetness (甘), which can help you remember its meaning of 'sweet' and 'willingness'. Visualize a person happily saying '甘' while tasting their favorite dessert.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 甘 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings, such as 干 (gān), which means 'to do' or 'dry'. 甘 is more commonly used in informal settings, especially in culinary contexts. Common collocations include 甘甜 (gān tián, 'sweet and tasty') and 甘愿 (gān yuàn, 'willing').
HSK Study Tips
甘 is not included in the official HSK levels, but it connects with food vocabulary often found in HSK Level 1 and 2. Focus on the context of taste and willingness to help reinforce its meaning. Recognizing its use in names and places can also enhance your vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, sweetness is often associated with good fortune and happiness, making 甘 an important character in food-related expressions. Additionally, Gansu Province is known for its natural beauty and diverse culture, which adds depth to the character when used in that context.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 甘 (gān) with 干 (gān), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我甘做这个' (I am sweet to do this) instead of '我愿做这个' (I am willing to do this) shows a misunderstanding of the word's meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 甘
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Grammar Patterns of 甘
甘 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 7 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
好呀, 这回你赢了,我____拜下风.
All right, you've got me beaten there . I hand it to you.
Common Confusions with 甘
甘vs感
gǎn
Different phonetic and semantic but similar shape
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "sweet"?
or
Example Sentences for 甘 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
好呀, 这回你赢了,我甘拜下风.
hǎo yā, , zhè huí nǐ yíng, le , wǒ gān bài.
All right, you've got me beaten there . I hand it to you.
2
政客们想要的是不问是非、甘为他们搞宣传的哈巴狗一样的新闻媒体。
zhèng kè mén xiǎng yào de shì bù wèn shì fēi、 、 gān wéi tā mén gǎo xuān chuán de hā bā gǒu yī yàng de xīn wén méi。
Politicians want a lap-dog press which will uncritically report their propaganda.
3
在最后的几秒钟，甘恩队的守门员凯文·坎特维尔扑出了两次射门。
zài zuì hòu de jī miǎo zhōng， ， gān ēn duì de shǒu mén yuán kǎi· wén · kǎn tè wéi ěr pū chū le liǎng cì。
In the final seconds, Gunn goalie Kevin Cantwell blocked two shots.
4
再过几天球芽甘蓝就可以吃了。
zài guò jī tiān qiú yá gān lán jiù kě yǐ chī le。
In a few days time the sprouts will be ready to eat.
5
我已经委派德圭因甘德准将担任第八集团军参谋长.
wǒ yǐ jīng wěi pài dé guī yīn gān dé zhǔn jiāng dān rèn dì bā jí tuán jūn cān móu cháng.
I have nominated Brigadier de Guingand as Chief of Staff Eighth Army.
Quality of cold , curing Yishen , Consumer Yang Xue, black hair improves eyesight.
7
他把甘蔗截成几节.
tā bǎ gān zhè jié chéng jī jié.
He cut the sugarcane into several pieces.
8
久旱的禾苗逢甘雨.
jiǔ hàn de hé miáo féng gān yǔ.
A sweet rain falls on the parched seedlings.
9
如果甘蓝闻着或吃着有霉味或酸味，请勿食用。
rú guǒ gān lán wén zháo huò chī zháo yǒu méi wèi huò suān wèi， ， qǐng wù shí。
If the sprouts smell, or taste, mouldy or acidic do not eat them.
10
甘蔗吃起来很甜.
gān zhè chī qǐ lái hěn tián.
Sugar canes eat sweet.
Cultural Notes for 甘
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese cuisine, sweetness is often associated with good fortune and happiness, making 甘 an important character in food-related expressions. Additionally, Gansu Province is known for its natural beauty and diverse culture, which adds depth to the character when used in that context.
Word Family of 甘
Compounds29
某mou3some
甚shen2variant of 什[shén]
甜tian2sweet
钳qian2pincers, pliers, tongs; to compress
柑gan1tangerine, loose-skinned orange
酣han1to enjoy liquor
泔gan1water from washing rice; thick gruel
坩gan1crucible; earthenware, pottery
绀gan4purple, violet
邯han2a district in Hebei province
蚶han1clam, bivalve; Arca inflata
疳gan1rickets, chickenpox; childhood disease
苷gan1licorice
咁
拑qian2to clamp, to pin down, to tie down
甙dai4glucoside
佄
姏
玵
甛
甝
甞
粓
紺gan4purple, violet
詌
鉗qian2pincers, pliers, tongs; to compress
雸
魽
黚
Words Containing This Character18
甘Gānsweet
甘肃Gansu province, abbr. 甘[Gān], short name 隴|陇[Lǒng], capital Lanzhou 蘭州|兰州[Lánzhōu]甘肅
甘油glycerine
心甘情愿xīngānqíngyuàndelighted to (do sth, idiom)心甘情願
甘心gānxīnto be willing to
甘愿willingly甘願
甘蔗sugar cane
甘草licorice root
不甘心not reconciled to
甘蓝cabbage甘藍
甘肃省Gansu Province, abbr. 甘[Gān], short name 隴|陇[Lǒng], capital Lanzhou 蘭州|兰州[Lánzhōu]甘肅省
不甘unreconciled to
甘甜sweet
同甘共苦for better or for worse
甘薯sweet potato
甘于to be willing to甘於
不甘示弱not to be outdone
甘地(Mahatma) Gandhi
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 某 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 甘
甘 means 'sweet', often used to describe the pleasant taste of food and drinks.
Yes, it can imply a sense of willingness or acceptance in various situations.
