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赡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
赡shànrich, elegant; to support, to provide forvg, 17 strokes, radical 贝
shàn(shan4)shan T4
  1. 1rich, elegant; to support, to provide for
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March 24, 2026

赡(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.

Strokes17Radical贝
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

By ear

Play it, then pick what 赡 means.

About 赡

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

Podcast: 赡

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Podcast: 赡

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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.

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.

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

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

Origin

赡 = 贝 + 詹. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 赡

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

Parts

Which of these is part of 赡?

How to say rich, elegant; to support, to provide for in Chinese

“rich, elegant; to support, to provide for” in Chinese is赡shàn

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.

When to use 赡

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.

赡 or something close to it

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.

What learners get wrong

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.

Write 赡

赡

Practice writing 赡 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

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)

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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.

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Word Family of 赡

Words Containing This Character3
赡养费alimony贍養費
赡shànto support贍
赡养shànyǎngto support贍養
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 赡

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.

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