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荡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
dàng>荡[dàng]v, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàng>烫[tàng]v, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàngto washv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàngto squanderv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàngto sweep awayv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàngto movev, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàngto shakev, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàngdissolutev, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàngpondv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàngpond, pool; ripple, shake; to wash away, to wipe outv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàng>荡[dàng]v, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàng>烫[tàng]v, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàngto washv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàngto squanderv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàngto sweep awayv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàngto movev, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàngto shakev, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàngdissolutev, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàngpondv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
tàngpond, pool; ripple, shake; to wash away, to wipe outv, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10503, Hard
dàng(dang4)
primary
T4
  1. 1>荡[dàng]
  2. 2>烫[tàng]
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(盪)dàng(dang4)

The character 荡 (dàng) primarily means to wash, move, shake, or sweep away. It can also denote a sense of dissolute behavior or the idea of ripples in a pond. Commonly used in contexts involving cleaning, movement, or the act of dissipating something.

Strokes9RadicalFrequency#10503DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, water is often associated with cleansing and renewal, making '荡' a significant term when discussing topics of purification, both literally and metaphorically.

Memory Tip

Imagine a pond (the radical '氵' represents water) where you're shaking the water to create ripples. The sound 'dàng' resembles a splash as you shake the water, making it easier to remember the action of washing or moving through water.

Meanings of 荡

dàng(dang4)
primary
1to wash
2to squander
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 荡

Simplified
Traditional
9Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#10503Frequency Rank

Podcast: 荡

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 荡

Quick Contrast

荡 (dàng) vs 摇 (yáo) — use 荡 for sweeping or washing motions, while 摇 specifically refers to shaking or swaying.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a pond (the radical '氵' represents water) where you're shaking the water to create ripples. The sound 'dàng' resembles a splash as you shake the water, making it easier to remember the action of washing or moving through water.

Usage Notes

Be cautious of the character's nuanced meanings; it can imply both physical movement and a more abstract sense of wasting resources. It's often used in informal contexts, but can also appear in literature to evoke imagery of water and movement. Common collocations include '荡漾' (to ripple) and '荡涤' (to wash away).

HSK Study Tips

This character is not included in the official HSK levels but connects well with words like '洗' (xǐ, to wash) and '动' (dòng, to move). Students should focus on recognizing its usage in phrases to understand its meanings better.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, water is often associated with cleansing and renewal, making '荡' a significant term when discussing topics of purification, both literally and metaphorically.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 荡 with similar-sounding words like 烫 (tàng), which means to scald. For example, saying '我想荡水' (wǒ xiǎng dàng shuǐ) instead of '我想洗水' (wǒ xiǎng xǐ shuǐ) can lead to confusion, as the former implies a more abstract action rather than cleaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 荡

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Etymology of 荡

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Hot water 汤 wiping out plant life 艹; 汤 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 荡?

Decomposition of 荡

IDS Structure⿱艹汤
Full Character
=
cao3
top
shang1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 荡?

Write 荡

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 荡

荡 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 10 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

Complete the Sentence

这部电影最早在1957年上映,后被翻拍为《七侠____寇志》。

Originally released in 1957, the film was remade as "The Magnificent Seven".

Example Sentences for 荡 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这部电影最早在1957年上映,后被翻拍为《七侠荡寇志》。

zhè bù diàn yǐng zuì zǎo zài1957 1957 nián shàng, yìng , hòu bèi fān《 pāi wéi 《 qī xiá》。

Originally released in 1957, the film was remade as "The Magnificent Seven".
2
我开始在外面闲荡,不知道自己在做什么。

wǒ kāi shǐ zài wài miàn xián dàng, , bù zhī dào zì jǐ zài zuò shí。

I started puttering around outside, not knowing what I was doing.
3
他在办公室闲荡了一会儿,感到百无聊赖。

tā zài bàn gōng shì xián dàng le yī huì ér, , gǎn dào bǎi wú liáo。

He moped around the office for a while, feeling bored.
4
荷兰盾在外汇交易市场的动荡中保持坚挺。

hé lán dùn zài wài huì jiāo yì shì cháng de dòng dàng zhōng bǎo chí jiān tǐng。

During the turmoil in the foreign-exchange markets the guilder remained strong.
5
突如其来的一声巨响在建筑物间回荡着,震碎了玻璃。

tū rú qí lái de yī shēng jù xiǎng zài jiàn zhù wù jiān huí dàng zháo, , zhèn suì le bō。

The bang came suddenly, echoing across the buildings, shattering glass.
6
他把我带到了一间空荡荡的、有过堂风的会见室。

tā bǎ wǒ dài dào le yī jiān kōng dàng dàng de、 、 yǒu guò táng fēng de huì jiàn。

He led me through to a bare, draughty interviewing room.
7
目前局势动荡不定,有武装士兵在街道上警戒。

mù qián jú shì dòng dàng bù dìng, , yǒu wǔ zhuāng shì bīng zài jiē dào shàng jǐng。

Armed soldiers guard the streets in this volatile atmosphere.
8
我左臂严重擦伤,并有轻微脑震荡。

wǒ zuǒ bì yán zhòng cā shāng, , bìng yǒu qīng wēi nǎo zhèn。

My left arm is badly bruised and I was slightly concussed.
9
过去有成群结队的年轻人骑着摩托车四处游荡。

guò qù yǒu chéng qún jié duì de nián qīng rén qí zháo mó tuō chē sì chǔ yóu dàng。

There were gangs of kids on motorbikes roaming around.
10
善于倾听的人甚至坐姿也很坦荡端正:身体放松,双臂自然下垂。

shàn yú qīng tīng de rén shèn zhì zuò zī yě hěn tǎn dàng duān zhèng: : shēn tǐ fàng, sōng , shuāng bì zì rán。

Good listeners even sit in an open way: relaxed, arms loose.

Cultural Notes for 荡

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, water is often associated with cleansing and renewal, making '荡' a significant term when discussing topics of purification, both literally and metaphorically.

Word Family of 荡

Words Containing This Character20
震荡to shake up震盪
荡妇slut蕩婦
dàngto wash
游荡to wander遊蕩
淫荡lascivious淫蕩
振荡vibration振蕩
动荡dòngdàngturmoil動蕩
放荡unconventional放蕩
脑震荡(med.) cerebral concussion腦震盪
扫荡to root out掃蕩
空荡荡kōngdàngdàngcomplete vacuum空蕩蕩
荡漾dàngyàngto ripple盪漾
回荡to resound迴盪
晃荡huàngdangto rock晃蕩
倾家荡产qīngjiādàngchǎnto lose a family fortune (idiom)傾家蕩產
飘荡to drift飄盪
闯荡to leave home to make one's way in the world闖蕩
浪荡to loiter浪蕩
激荡to rage激蕩
坦荡magnanimous坦蕩
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 震荡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 荡

荡 can refer to washing or cleaning, but it can also imply a sense of frivolity or wastefulness, depending on the context.