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繕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
繕shànto repair, to mend; to transcribe, to rewritezg, 18 strokes, radical 糹
shàn(shan4) T4
  1. 1to repair, to mend; to transcribe, to rewrite
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

繕shàn(shan4)

The character 繕 (shàn) means to repair or mend something, often in a careful or detailed manner. It can also refer to the process of transcribing or rewriting, emphasizing precision and attention to detail. This word is commonly used in contexts involving clothing repair or the meticulous copying of documents.

Strokes18Radical糹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, taking care of clothing and belongings is seen as a virtue, reflecting respect for resources. The practice of mending clothes rather than discarding them is often tied to values of sustainability.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tailor (the character's radical 糸 represents thread) carefully mending a torn piece of clothing, ensuring every stitch is perfect. You can think of 'shàn' as the sound of a needle threading through fabric, reinforcing the idea of careful repair.

Meanings of 繕

shàn(shan4)
1to repair, to mend; to transcribe, to rewrite
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 繕

繕Simplified
18Strokes
糹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 繕

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Podcast: 繕

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AI Study Notes for 繕

Quick Contrast

修 (xiū) vs 繕 (shàn): Use 修 for general repair or fixing, while 繕 emphasizes careful and detailed mending.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 繕 with similar characters like 修 (xiū), which also means to repair but is broader in scope. 繕 is more formal and is typically used in written contexts, while 修 can be used more casually. Be careful with the tone; 'shàn' is third tone, and mispronouncing it can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Though 繕 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can be linked to words related to repair or maintenance at HSK level 4, such as 修理 (xiūlǐ - to repair). Students should focus on recognizing the context in which 繕 is used, especially in written materials.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 繕 with 繁 (fán), which means complex or numerous. For example, saying '我需要把这衣服繁一下' is incorrect; it should be '我需要把这衣服繕一下' (I need to mend this clothing).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 繕

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Etymology of 繕

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

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 善 represents the sound. Simplified form of 繕.

Memory Hint

thread

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 繕

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 善 represents the sound. Simplified form of 繕.

  1. 1The meaning half糹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half善 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaythread
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 繕? 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 繕?

Decomposition of 繕

IDS Structure⿰糹善
繕Full Character
=
糹si1
left
善shan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 繕?

How to say to repair, to mend; to transcribe, to rewrite in Chinese

“to repair, to mend; to transcribe, to rewrite” in Chinese is繕shàn

The character 繕 (shàn) means to repair or mend something, often in a careful or detailed manner. It can also refer to the process of transcribing or rewriting, emphasizing precision and attention to detail. This word is commonly used in contexts involving clothing repair or the meticulous copying of documents.

When to use 繕

Learners often confuse 繕 with similar characters like 修 (xiū), which also means to repair but is broader in scope. 繕 is more formal and is typically used in written contexts, while 修 can be used more casually. Be careful with the tone; 'shàn' is third tone, and mispronouncing it can change the meaning.

繕 or something close to it

修 (xiū) vs 繕 (shàn): Use 修 for general repair or fixing, while 繕 emphasizes careful and detailed mending.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 繕 with 繁 (fán), which means complex or numerous. For example, saying '我需要把这衣服繁一下' is incorrect; it should be '我需要把这衣服繕一下' (I need to mend this clothing).

Write 繕

繕

Practice writing 繕 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 繕

Words Containing This Character3
修缮to renovate修繕
缮shànto repair繕
缮写to copy繕寫
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 修缮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 繕

It is pronounced as shàn, with a third tone.

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