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繁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
繁
fán
complex, difficult; many, diverse
HSK 3, v, 17 strokes, radical 糸, rank #31515, Medium
繁
fán
in great numbers
HSK 3, unknown, 17 strokes, radical 糸, rank #31515, Medium
繁
fán
old variant of 繁[fán]
HSK 3, v, 17 strokes, radical 糸, rank #31515, Medium
繁
fán
old variant of 繁[fan2]
HSK 3, unknown, 17 strokes, radical 糸, rank #31515, Medium
繁
fán
abbr. for 繁體|繁体[fan2 ti3], traditional form of Chinese characters
HSK 3, unknown, 17 strokes, radical 糸, rank #31515, Medium
fán(fan2)fan T2
1complex, difficult; many, diverse
2in great numbers
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March 24, 2026
繁(緐)fán(fan2)
The character 繁 (fán) primarily means 'complex' or 'diverse', often referring to something that is intricate or has many components. It can also denote a large quantity or multitude, especially in contexts related to traditional Chinese characters, as it serves as an abbreviation for 繁体 (fántǐ), which means 'traditional characters'.
Strokes17Radical糸Frequency#31515DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the differentiation between 繁体 (traditional characters) and 简体 (simplified characters) is significant, reflecting historical and cultural values in language preservation. 繁 is often associated with classical literature and calligraphy, where traditional forms are cherished for their artistic expression.
Memory tip
Imagine a complex tapestry woven with many threads, each representing a different aspect of life. The character 繁 resembles a web of interconnected lines, illustrating the idea of complexity and diversity. The pronunciation 'fán' can be remembered as 'fun'—the more complex the tapestry, the more fun it is to look at!
Meanings of 繁
fán(fan2)
1complex, difficult; many, diverse
2in great numbers
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 繁 means.
About 繁
繁Simplified
緐Traditional
17Strokes
糸Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#31515Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3
Podcast: 繁
Podcast: 繁
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AI study notes for 繁
Quick Contrast
繁 (fán) vs 复杂 (fùzá) — use 繁 for contexts emphasizing variety or multitude rather than complexity.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 繁 with its simplified counterpart, 复 (fù), which means 'to return' or 'repeat'. It's important to use 繁 in contexts where complexity or a multitude is discussed, particularly in written forms. Be cautious with tone; mispronouncing it as fàn (fourth tone) could change the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Though 繁 is not listed in HSK, it relates to HSK 3-4 vocabulary that involves complexities and quantities, such as 复杂 (fùzá) meaning 'complicated'. Focus on recognizing its use in traditional character discussions and in contexts that involve complexity.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly write 繁 as 繁 and pronounce it incorrectly as fàn (fourth tone) instead of fán (second tone). Remember to use the correct tone to convey the right meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 繁
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Example
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Knowing 繁 is seven skills, not one.
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繁 = 糸 + 敏. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 繁
IDS Structure⿱敏糸
繁Full character
=
敏min3
top
糸mi4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 繁?
How to say complex, difficult; many, diverse in Chinese
“complex, difficult; many, diverse” in Chinese is繁fán
The character 繁 (fán) primarily means 'complex' or 'diverse', often referring to something that is intricate or has many components. It can also denote a large quantity or multitude, especially in contexts related to traditional Chinese characters, as it serves as an abbreviation for 繁体 (fántǐ), which means 'traditional characters'.
When to use 繁
Learners often confuse 繁 with its simplified counterpart, 复 (fù), which means 'to return' or 'repeat'. It's important to use 繁 in contexts where complexity or a multitude is discussed, particularly in written forms. Be cautious with tone; mispronouncing it as fàn (fourth tone) could change the meaning.
繁 or something close to it
繁 (fán) vs 复杂 (fùzá) — use 繁 for contexts emphasizing variety or multitude rather than complexity.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly write 繁 as 繁 and pronounce it incorrectly as fàn (fourth tone) instead of fán (second tone). Remember to use the correct tone to convey the right meaning.
Write 繁
繁
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Practice writing 繁 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 繁
繁 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 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
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
这道数学题太____了，我需要更多时间来解决。
This math problem is too complex; I need more time to solve it.
Example sentences for 繁 (13)
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vcomplex, difficult; many, diverse3
1
这道数学题太繁了，我需要更多时间来解决。
Zhè dào shùxué tí tài fán le, wǒ xūyào gèng duō shíjiān lái jiějué.
This math problem is too complex; I need more time to solve it.
2
因为工作繁杂，他每天都很晚下班。
Yīnwèi gōngzuò fánzá, tā měitiān dōu hěn wǎn xiàbān.
Because the work is complex, he finishes work late every day.
3
那本书的内容非常繁琐，新手读起来有点困难。
Nà běn shū de nèiróng fēicháng fánsuǒ, xīnshǒu dú qǐlái yǒudiǎn kùnnán.
The content of that book is very complex, making it a bit difficult for beginners to read.
vold variant of 繁[fán]10
4
斯特兰德街是伦敦最繁华、最富足的街道之一。
Sī tè lán dé jiē shì lún dūn zuì fánhuá、 zuì fùzú de jiēdào zhīyī。
The Strand is one of London's busiest and most affluent streets.
5
我想我得到的这份工作是其中最繁重的工作之一。
wǒ xiǎng wǒ dédào de zhè fèn gōngzuò shì qízhōng zuì fánzhòng de gōngzuò zhīyī。
I think I've got one of the most stressful jobs there is.
This conservatory enjoys an enviable position overlooking a leafy expanse.
13
看一眼他的书架就知道他兴趣繁杂。
kàn yīyǎn tā de shūjià jiù zhīdào tā xìngqù fánzá。
A glance along his bookshelves reveals a bewildering array of interests.
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Word Family of 繁
Compounds2
蘩fánArtemisia stellariana
瀿fán
Words containing this character20
频繁pínfánoften頻繁
繁荣fánróngprosperous繁榮
繁殖fánzhíto breed
繁忙fánmángbusy
繁华fánhuáflourishing繁華
繁衍fányǎnto multiply
繁重fánzhòngheavy
繁fánmany
繁星fánxīngmany stars
繁琐fánsuǒmany and complicated繁瑣
繁多fánduōmany and varied
繁杂fánzámany繁雜
繁文缛节fánwénrùjiémumbo-jumbo繁文縟節
繁复fánfùcomplicated繁複
繁育fányùto breed
纷繁fēnfánnumerous and complicated紛繁
繁荣昌盛fánróngchāngshèngglorious and flourishing (idiom); thriving繁榮昌盛
繁体fántǐtraditional form of Chinese, as opposed to simplified form 簡體|简体[jiǎntǐ]繁體
繁茂fánmàoexuberant
繁盛fánshèngprosperous
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 繁
What does 蘩 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 繁
繁 refers more to quantity and diversity, while 复杂 specifically means 'complicated'. You would use 繁 when talking about many things, and 复杂 when discussing intricacy.
Associate it with 'fun'—the more complex something is, the more fun it can be to explore!
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