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篡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
cuànto sieze, to usurpzg, 16 strokes, radical 厶, Very Hard
cuànto seizeunknown, 16 strokes, radical 厶, Very Hard
cuàn(cuan4) T4
  1. 1to sieze, to usurp
  2. 2to seize
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
cuàn(cuan4)

The character 篡 (cuàn) means to seize or usurp power, often in a political context. It is commonly used to describe someone taking control or authority unlawfully or unrightfully. The nuance suggests a betrayal of trust or an illegitimate takeover.

Strokes16RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The concept of usurpation is significant in Chinese history, where dynastic changes often involved a ruler being overthrown or replaced through deceitful means, leading to the term's frequent use in historical literature and discussions of power struggles.

Memory Tip

Imagine a crown (representing power) that is being snatched away by a sneaky thief. The character 篡 visually contains the radical ' bamboo' (竹), which can symbolize the structure of a throne or authority, reminding you that this act is often related to government or leadership.

Meanings of 篡

cuàn(cuan4)
1to sieze, to usurp
2to seize
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 篡

Simplified
16Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 篡

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AI Study Notes for 篡

Quick Contrast

篡 (cuàn) vs 夺 (duó) — use 篡 when emphasizing an unlawful or treacherous seizure of power, while 夺 focuses more on taking or seizing without the same implication of betrayal.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a crown (representing power) that is being snatched away by a sneaky thief. The character 篡 visually contains the radical ' bamboo' (竹), which can symbolize the structure of a throne or authority, reminding you that this act is often related to government or leadership.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 篡 with similar-sounding words like 'cuān' (蹿), which means to leap or jump. 篡 is typically used in more formal or literary contexts, and it's often associated with historical narratives or discussions of power dynamics. Common collocations include '篡位' (usurp the throne) and '篡权' (usurp power).

HSK Study Tips

Although 篡 is not included in the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with themes of authority and governance found in higher-level vocabulary. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in historical texts or political discussions to enhance their comprehension of context.

Cultural Note

The concept of usurpation is significant in Chinese history, where dynastic changes often involved a ruler being overthrown or replaced through deceitful means, leading to the term's frequent use in historical literature and discussions of power struggles.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 篡 (cuàn) with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 篡 to describe a physical act of grabbing something ('grab' as in 拿) is incorrect; it should be reserved for discussions involving power or authority.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 篡

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Etymology of 篡

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

Phonosemantic compound. 厶 represents the meaning and 算 represents the sound. Simplified form of 簒.

Memory Hint

private

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 篡?

Decomposition of 篡

IDS Structure⿱算厶
Full Character
=
suan4
top
mou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 篡?

Write 篡

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 篡

篡 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

对文件的____改伪造已成为当下让人关注的政治问题。

The doctoring of the document has become a live political issue.

Example Sentences for 篡 (2)

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1
对文件的篡改伪造已成为当下让人关注的政治问题。

duì wén jiàn de cuàn gǎi wěi zào yǐ chéng wéi dāng xià ràng rén guān zhù de zhèng zhì wèn tí。

The doctoring of the document has become a live political issue.
2
引语可能会被篡改,使用时断章取义。

yǐn yǔ kě néng huì bèi cuàn gǎi, , shǐ yòng shí duàn zhāng qǔ。

Quotes can be manipulated and used out of context.

Cultural Notes for 篡

🏮Cultural insight

The concept of usurpation is significant in Chinese history, where dynastic changes often involved a ruler being overthrown or replaced through deceitful means, leading to the term's frequent use in historical literature and discussions of power struggles.

Word Family of 篡

Words Containing This Character9
篡改to tamper with
篡夺to usurp篡奪
篡党to usurp the leadership of the party篡黨
篡位to seize the throne
篡权to usurp power篡權
cuànto seize
篡政to usurp political power
篡弑to commit regicide篡弒
篡窃to usurp篡竊
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 篡改 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 篡

While both words relate to seizing, 篡 specifically implies usurping or taking power unlawfully, often in a political sense, whereas 奪 generally means to take or snatch away without the same connotation of betrayal.