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March 24, 2026
贍shàn(shan4)
The character 贍 (shàn) primarily means to support or provide for someone, often in a financial context. It can also connote richness or elegance, especially in terms of resources or lifestyle. Commonly used in discussions about social welfare and familial support.
Strokes20Radical貝Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of supporting family members, especially the elderly, is deeply ingrained, reflecting Confucian values. The character 贍 embodies this cultural responsibility towards family and community.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wealthy person (the radical '貝' for wealth) generously sharing their riches to support others, which connects to the pronunciation 'shàn' – think of 'shining' wealth being spread to help those in need.
Meanings of 贍
shàn(shan4)
1rich, elegant; to support, to provide for
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 贍
贍Simplified
20Strokes
貝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 贍
Podcast: 贍
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AI Study Notes for 贍
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a wealthy person (the radical '貝' for wealth) generously sharing their riches to support others, which connects to the pronunciation 'shàn' – think of 'shining' wealth being spread to help those in need.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 贍 with similar characters like 赡 (shàn), which also means to provide for but may carry a more formal tone. It's typically used in formal contexts related to social support, so avoid using it in casual conversations.
HSK Study Tips
While 贍 is not currently part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be linked to terms related to support and wealth, such as 资助 (zīzhù, to fund) or 赡养 (shànyǎng, to support someone financially). Students should focus on recognizing its usage in formal contexts.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of supporting family members, especially the elderly, is deeply ingrained, reflecting Confucian values. The character 贍 embodies this cultural responsibility towards family and community.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is confusing 贍 with 赡 (shàn), which has a similar meaning but is used in slightly different contexts. For instance, saying '我贍我的父母' is incorrect; it should be '我赡养我的父母'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 贍
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Cultural Notes for 贍
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of supporting family members, especially the elderly, is deeply ingrained, reflecting Confucian values. The character 贍 embodies this cultural responsibility towards family and community.
Word Family of 贍
Words Containing This Character3
赡养费alimony贍養費
赡shànto support贍
赡养shànyǎngto support贍養
Exercise 1 of 3
Compound Meaning
What does 赡养费 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 贍
You can use 贍 in a sentence like '我必须贍养我的父母' (I must support my parents).
Yes, 贍 is primarily used in written Chinese, especially in formal contexts, while in spoken Chinese, simpler terms like 支持 (zhīchí) are more common.
Synonyms include 赡养 (shànyǎng) and 支持 (zhīchí), although they may have slightly different connotations.
