Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
赡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
shànrich, elegant; to support, to provide forvg, 17 strokes, radical 贝, Very Hard
shàn(shan4) T4
  1. 1rich, elegant; to support, to provide for
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(贍)shàn(shan4)

The character 赡 (shàn) primarily means to support or provide for someone, often in the context of financial or emotional assistance. It is commonly used in discussions about family responsibilities, such as supporting elderly parents or dependents. The nuance of this character implies a sense of obligation and care in providing for others.

Strokes17RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 赡 is deeply rooted in filial piety, where children are expected to support their aging parents as a moral duty. This reflects the Confucian value of respecting and caring for one's family.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wealthy person (the rich aspect of 赡) holding an umbrella (the radical 赡, which resembles a protective covering) over their family, symbolizing support. The pronunciation 'shàn' can be linked to 'shining' like wealth, emphasizing the richness of care provided.

Meanings of 赡

shàn(shan4)
1rich, elegant; to support, to provide for
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 赡

Simplified
Traditional
17Strokes
Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 赡

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 赡

Quick Contrast

供 (gōng) — use 赡 (shàn) when emphasizing obligation and care in support, whereas 供 (gōng) is more neutral and can refer to providing without the same emotional nuance.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a wealthy person (the rich aspect of 赡) holding an umbrella (the radical 赡, which resembles a protective covering) over their family, symbolizing support. The pronunciation 'shàn' can be linked to 'shining' like wealth, emphasizing the richness of care provided.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 赡 with similar-sounding characters, as the meaning can change significantly. It is often used in formal contexts, especially in legal or family discussions. Common collocations include 赡养 (shàn yǎng), meaning to support and raise, particularly in reference to elders.

HSK Study Tips

While 赡 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it relates to HSK Level 5 words concerning family and support, such as 家庭 (jiā tíng, family) and 责任 (zé rèn, responsibility). Focus on understanding its usage in familial contexts to enhance vocabulary related to social obligations.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 赡 is deeply rooted in filial piety, where children are expected to support their aging parents as a moral duty. This reflects the Confucian value of respecting and caring for one's family.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 赡 with 赞 (zàn, to praise), leading to incorrect phrases like 赞养 instead of the correct 赡养. Ensure you are using 赡 when discussing support and care.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 赡

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 赡

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

Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 詹 represents the sound. Simplified form of 贍.

Memory Hint

money

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 赡?

Decomposition of 赡

IDS Structure⿰贝詹
Full Character
=
Bei4
left
Zhan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 赡?

Write 赡

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 赡

赡 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. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

他是他可怜的老母亲的唯一____养者.

He is the only support that his poor old mother has.

Example Sentences for 赡 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他是他可怜的老母亲的唯一赡养者.

tā shì tā kě lián de lǎo mǔ qīn de wéi yī shàn yǎng zhě.

He is the only support that his poor old mother has.

Cultural Notes for 赡

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of 赡 is deeply rooted in filial piety, where children are expected to support their aging parents as a moral duty. This reflects the Confucian value of respecting and caring for one's family.

Word Family of 赡

Words Containing This Character3
赡养费alimony贍養費
shànto support
赡养shànyǎngto support贍養
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 赡养费 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 赡

You can use 赡 when discussing family obligations, such as financial support for parents or dependents.