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March 24, 2026
贯(貫)guàn(guan4)
The character 贯 (guàn) primarily means 'to pierce through' or 'to pass through.' It can also refer to items being strung together, such as a string of coins. In historical contexts, it specifically denotes a unit of measure representing a string of 1,000 cash coins.
Strokes8Radical贝Frequency#25949DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In ancient China, 贯 was significant in trade, as the string of 1,000 cash coins was a common way to handle currency. This reflects the importance of coinage and trade systems in Chinese history.
Memory Tip
Imagine a needle (the radical '贯' looks like a needle) piercing through a string of coins. Picture a long string of 1,000 shiny coins being held together by that needle, helping you remember both the pronunciation 'guàn' and the idea of connection and passage.
Meanings of 贯
guàn(guan4)
1to pierce through
2to pass through
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 贯
贯Simplified
貫Traditional
8Strokes
贝Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#25949Frequency Rank
Podcast: 贯
Podcast: 贯
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AI Study Notes for 贯
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 贯 with similar-sounding characters, such as 管 (guǎn, meaning 'to manage'). This character is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing currency or historical measurements. Common collocations include 贯穿 (guànchuān, meaning 'to penetrate through') and 贯通 (guàntōng, meaning 'to connect through').
HSK Study Tips
While 贯 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with terms involving currency and measurement which are relevant at HSK Level 3 and above. Students should focus on understanding the context of usage in historical texts and modern applications.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 贯 with 管 (guǎn), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我会贯管理' (wǒ huì guàn guǎnlǐ) instead of '我会管理' (I can manage) is incorrect. The correct phrase would simply use 管 (guǎn).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 贯
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六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声å—)~80-90% of characters
Explanation
Simplified form of 貫. Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 毌 represents the sound. Originally written as 毌, a pictograph of a string being pierced through something. The 貝 component was added later, conveying a string of shells
Simplified form of 貫. Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 毌 represents the sound. Originally written as 毌, a pictograph of a string being pierced through something. The 貝 component was added later, conveying a string of shells
1The meaning half贝 carries the sense.
2The sound half毌 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymoney
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 贯? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
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Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 贯?
Decomposition of 贯
IDS Structure⿱毌贝
贯Full Character
=
毌guan4
top
贝Bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 贯?
How to say to pierce through in Chinese
“to pierce through” in Chinese is贯guàn
The character 贯 (guàn) primarily means 'to pierce through' or 'to pass through.' It can also refer to items being strung together, such as a string of coins. In historical contexts, it specifically denotes a unit of measure representing a string of 1,000 cash coins.
When to use 贯
Be careful not to confuse 贯 with similar-sounding characters, such as 管 (guǎn, meaning 'to manage'). This character is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing currency or historical measurements. Common collocations include 贯穿 (guànchuān, meaning 'to penetrate through') and 贯通 (guàntōng, meaning 'to connect through').
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 贯 with 管 (guǎn), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我会贯管理' (wǒ huì guàn guǎnlǐ) instead of '我会管理' (I can manage) is incorrect. The correct phrase would simply use 管 (guǎn).
Write 贯
贯
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Practice writing 贯 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 贯
贯 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). 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.
