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脔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
脔luánthinly sliced meatg, 12 strokes, radical 肉
脔luánskinnyunknown, 12 strokes, radical 肉
脔luánsliced meatunknown, 12 strokes, radical 肉
luán(luan2) T2
  1. 1thinly sliced meat
  2. 2skinny
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

脔(臠)luán(luan2)

The character 脔 (luán) refers to thinly sliced meat, often used in the context of dishes where meat is prepared in delicate, fine slices. This term is common in culinary contexts, especially in Chinese cuisine where texture and presentation are vital. It can also carry a connotation of something being skinny or slim, particularly when describing someone’s physique.

Strokes12Radical肉
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, the way meat is sliced can significantly affect the dish's taste and presentation, reflecting the importance of culinary skills in Chinese culture. Dishes like hot pot often feature 脔, emphasizing the communal and artistic aspects of Chinese dining.

Memory Tip

Imagine a chef carefully slicing meat so thin that it almost looks like a 'lan' (land) of meat on a plate. The character 脔 has the meat radical (肉) on the left, emphasizing its relation to meat, and 'luán' sounds like 'wan' when you think of a 'wan' of thin slices arranged beautifully.

Meanings of 脔

luán(luan2)
1thinly sliced meat
2skinny
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 脔

脔Simplified
臠Traditional
12Strokes
肉Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 脔

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Podcast: 脔

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AI Study Notes for 脔

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 脔, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words. This term is relatively formal and is primarily used in culinary contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversation about food. Common collocations include phrases like 脔肉 (sliced meat) or 脔菜 (sliced vegetable).

HSK Study Tips

Though 脔 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to food, which is crucial at any level. Focus on related terms like 肉 (ròu) for meat and 切 (qiē) for slicing to deepen your knowledge of culinary vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 脔 with other meat-related characters, like 肉 (ròu) which means meat in general. For instance, saying '我吃了很多脔' (Wǒ chīle hěnduō luán) instead of '我吃了很多肉' (Wǒ chīle hěnduō ròu) could be incorrect if referring to meat in general.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 脔

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Etymology of 脔

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

meat

Semantic (meaning)肉
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 脔

  1. 1The meaning half肉 carries the sense.
  2. 2The giveawaymeat
  3. 3On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 脔? 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 脔?

Decomposition of 脔

IDS Structure⿱亦肉
脔Full Character
=
亦yi4
top
肉rou4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 脔?

How to say thinly sliced meat in Chinese

“thinly sliced meat” in Chinese is脔luán

The character 脔 (luán) refers to thinly sliced meat, often used in the context of dishes where meat is prepared in delicate, fine slices. This term is common in culinary contexts, especially in Chinese cuisine where texture and presentation are vital. It can also carry a connotation of something being skinny or slim, particularly when describing someone’s physique.

When to use 脔

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 脔, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words. This term is relatively formal and is primarily used in culinary contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversation about food. Common collocations include phrases like 脔肉 (sliced meat) or 脔菜 (sliced vegetable).

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 脔 with other meat-related characters, like 肉 (ròu) which means meat in general. For instance, saying '我吃了很多脔' (Wǒ chīle hěnduō luán) instead of '我吃了很多肉' (Wǒ chīle hěnduō ròu) could be incorrect if referring to meat in general.

Write 脔

脔

Practice writing 脔 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 脔

Words Containing This Character2
脔luánskinny臠
禁脔exclusive property禁臠
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 脔 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 脔

It is pronounced as 'luán', with the second tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 脔?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.