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糌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
糌zānzanba, barley breadn, 15 strokes, radical 米
糌zānzanba, Tibetan barley breadunknown, 15 strokes, radical 米
zān(zan1) T1
  1. 1zanba, barley bread
  2. 2zanba, Tibetan barley bread
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

糌zān(zan1)

The character 糌 (zān) refers to a type of barley bread known as zanba, commonly consumed in some regions of China and Tibet. It's typically made from roasted barley flour and has cultural significance in Tibetan cuisine, often served during meals or as a staple food item.

Strokes15Radical米
Cultural Note

In Tibetan culture, zanba is not just food but a symbol of sustenance and hospitality. It is often served with butter tea and can be a part of traditional rituals and gatherings.

Memory Tip

Think of 糌 (zān) as a 'zan' of barley bread. The character has the rice radical (米), which hints at food, and the component '干' (gān), suggesting something dry or solid, like bread. Imagine a warm, comforting loaf of barley bread to remember its meaning.

Meanings of 糌

zān(zan1)
1zanba, barley bread
2zanba, Tibetan barley bread
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 糌

糌Simplified
15Strokes
米Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 糌

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Podcast: 糌

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AI Study Notes for 糌

Usage Notes

糌 is often used in culinary contexts, specifically related to Tibetan or regional food. Be mindful of its usage; it might not be widely recognized outside specific cultural discussions. Common collocations include 糌粑 (zān bā), referring to the barley bread itself.

HSK Study Tips

糌 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list. However, it can be beneficial for learners interested in regional foods or Tibetan culture. Focus on recognition and pronunciation to understand its unique cultural context.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 糌 (zān) with similar-sounding words or characters. For example, mixing it up with the character for rice (米, mǐ) is a common error. Remember that 糌 specifically refers to barley bread.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 糌

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Etymology of 糌

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

grain

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 糌

  1. 1The meaning half米 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half昝 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaygrain
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 糌? 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 糌?

Decomposition of 糌

IDS Structure⿰米昝
糌Full Character
=
米Mi3
left
昝Zan3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 糌?

How to say zanba, barley bread in Chinese

“zanba, barley bread” in Chinese is糌zān

The character 糌 (zān) refers to a type of barley bread known as zanba, commonly consumed in some regions of China and Tibet. It's typically made from roasted barley flour and has cultural significance in Tibetan cuisine, often served during meals or as a staple food item.

When to use 糌

糌 is often used in culinary contexts, specifically related to Tibetan or regional food. Be mindful of its usage; it might not be widely recognized outside specific cultural discussions. Common collocations include 糌粑 (zān bā), referring to the barley bread itself.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 糌 (zān) with similar-sounding words or characters. For example, mixing it up with the character for rice (米, mǐ) is a common error. Remember that 糌 specifically refers to barley bread.

Write 糌

糌

Practice writing 糌 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 糌

Words Containing This Character2
糌粑tsamba, Tibetan barley bread
糌zānzanba, Tibetan barley bread
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 糌粑 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 糌

Zanba is made from roasted barley flour, which is common in Tibetan cuisine.

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