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蹒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蹒pánto stagger, to limpv, 17 strokes, radical 足
蹒pánlimpunknown, 17 strokes, radical 足
pán(pan2)pan T2
  1. 1to stagger, to limp
  2. 2limp
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March 24, 2026

蹒(蹣)pán(pan2)

The character 蹒 (pán) means to stagger or limp, typically used to describe a walking style that is unsteady or impaired. It often conveys a sense of difficulty in movement due to injury or fatigue, and can be used both literally and metaphorically in various contexts.

Strokes17Radical足
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, a person's walk is often seen as a reflection of their health, making the concept of limping significant in discussions of well-being and recovery.

Memory tip

Imagine someone trying to walk after twisting their ankle—each step is a struggle, and they are 'pán'-ting as they try to maintain balance. The character contains the foot radical (足), reminding you that this action involves walking.

Meanings of 蹒

pán(pan2)
1to stagger, to limp
2limp
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 蹒

蹒Simplified
蹣Traditional
17Strokes
足Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蹒

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Podcast: 蹒

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AI study notes for 蹒

Quick Contrast

蹒 (pán) vs 摇 (yáo) — use 蹒 for unsteady or impaired walking, while 摇 refers to swaying or rocking motion.

Usage Notes

Be cautious using 蹒 in formal contexts, as it may imply weakness or injury. Common collocations include 蹒跚 (pánshān), meaning to walk unsteadily. Ensure you use the correct tone, as mispronunciation could change its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 蹒 is not currently included in HSK levels, it connects to other movement-related vocabulary, such as 走 (zǒu, to walk) and 跑 (pǎo, to run). Focus on the nuances of movement and how this word contrasts with more stable actions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蹒 with other movement verbs like 走 (zǒu) and 跑 (pǎo), leading to phrases like '我蹒去商店' (Wǒ pán qù shāngdiàn, 'I stagger to the store'), which should instead use 走: '我走去商店' (Wǒ zǒu qù shāngdiàn).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蹒

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Etymology of 蹒

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

foot

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

Origin

蹒 = 足 + 㒼. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蹒

IDS Structure⿰足⿱艹两
蹒Full character
=
足ju4
left
艹cao3
top
两liang3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 蹒?

How to say to stagger, to limp in Chinese

“to stagger, to limp” in Chinese is蹒pán

The character 蹒 (pán) means to stagger or limp, typically used to describe a walking style that is unsteady or impaired. It often conveys a sense of difficulty in movement due to injury or fatigue, and can be used both literally and metaphorically in various contexts.

When to use 蹒

Be cautious using 蹒 in formal contexts, as it may imply weakness or injury. Common collocations include 蹒跚 (pánshān), meaning to walk unsteadily. Ensure you use the correct tone, as mispronunciation could change its meaning.

蹒 or something close to it

蹒 (pán) vs 摇 (yáo) — use 蹒 for unsteady or impaired walking, while 摇 refers to swaying or rocking motion.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蹒 with other movement verbs like 走 (zǒu) and 跑 (pǎo), leading to phrases like '我蹒去商店' (Wǒ pán qù shāngdiàn, 'I stagger to the store'), which should instead use 走: '我走去商店' (Wǒ zǒu qù shāngdiàn).

Write 蹒

蹒

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

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Grammar patterns of 蹒

蹒 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 2 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

Fill the gap

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

亚当____跚而行，沿路留下毁坏的痕迹。

Adam stumbles on, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake.

Example sentences for 蹒 (10)

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1
亚当蹒跚而行，沿路留下毁坏的痕迹。

yà dāng pán shān ér xíng， yán lù liúxia huǐhuài de hénjì。

Adam stumbles on, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake.
2
那只狗伸着舌头从树林里蹒跚地跑回来。

nà zhī gǒu shēn zhe shétou cóng shùlín lǐ pán shān dì pǎo huílái。

Tongue lolling, the dog came lolloping back from the forest.
3
那条狗蹒跚地向他们跑来。

nà tiáo gǒu pán shān dì xiàng tāmen pǎo lái。

The dog came lolloping towards them.
4
我们的马沿着泥泞小路蹒跚而行。

wǒmen de mǎ yánzhe nínìng xiǎolù pán shān ér xíng。

Our horses plodded down the muddy track.
5
它步态蹒跚,吃饱了的身体更显得笨拙可笑.

tā bù tài pán shān, chī bǎo le de shēntǐ gèng xiǎnde bènzhuō kěxiào.

Its body looks heavy and clumsy when it has eaten its fill.
6
蹒跚学步的孩子指着想要的玩具.

pán shān xué bù de háizi zhǐzhe xiǎngyào de wánjù.

The toddler pointed to the toy he wanted.
7
老人在他的孙子挽扶下蹒跚而行.

lǎorén zài tā de sūnzi wǎn fú xià pán shān ér xíng.

The old man hobbled along with the help of his grandson.
8
我看见一位老人拄着手杖蹒跚而行.

wǒ kànjiàn yī wèi lǎorén zhǔ zhuóshǒu zhàng pán shān ér xíng.

I saw an old man hitching along on his stick.
9
我看见一位老人拄著手杖蹒跚而行.

wǒ kànjiàn yī wèi lǎorén zhǔ zhe shǒu zhàng pán shān ér xíng.

I see an old man hitch along on his stick.
10
老人挎着书篮,蹒跚地走出门去.

lǎorén kuà zhe shū lán, pán shān dì zǒu chūmén qù.

The old man with his basket of books staggers out of the door.

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Word Family of 蹒

Words containing this character2
蹒跚to stagger蹣跚
蹒pánlimp蹣
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 蹒

What does 蹒跚 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 蹒

No, while it primarily describes physical unsteadiness, it can also be used metaphorically to describe situations where progress is slow or hindered.

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