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郯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
郯tánsurname Tanunknown, 10 strokes, radical 阝
郯tánan ancient city; surnamens, 10 strokes, radical 阝
郯tánname of an ancient cityunknown, 10 strokes, radical 阝
tán(Tan2) T2
  1. 1surname Tan
  2. 2an ancient city; surname
Also a Chinese surname, Tan — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

郯tán(Tan2)

The character 郯 (tán) refers primarily to an ancient city known in historical texts. It is also used as a surname in China, particularly associated with the Tan family. The character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more relevant in historical or genealogical contexts.

Strokes10Radical阝
Cultural Note

The name 郯 is significant in historical texts that document ancient Chinese states and cities, reflecting the importance of lineage and heritage in Chinese culture. The Tan surname has a rich history, making it notable for genealogical studies.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'tan' (郯) landscape where ancient ruins of a city lie hidden under a blanket of greenery. The '郯' structure resembles a city gate (the enclosure) with the top radical hinting at its historical significance. Visualizing this scene helps connect the character to its meaning.

Meanings of 郯

tán(Tan2)
1an ancient city; surname
2name of an ancient city
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 郯

郯Simplified
10Strokes
阝Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 郯

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Podcast: 郯

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 郯

Usage Notes

Since 郯 is not frequently used in modern language, learners may mistakenly use it in everyday conversation instead of more common characters. It typically appears in formal or historical contexts, so be sure to use it appropriately.

HSK Study Tips

Though 郯 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding its historical context can enhance your knowledge of ancient Chinese geography and surnames. Focus on the connection between surnames and their historical roots, which is common in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 郯 with more commonly used characters or use it incorrectly in casual conversation. For example, saying '我住在郯' (I live in Tán) is incorrect unless referring to a historical context; use more common city names instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 郯

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Etymology of 郯

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

city

Semantic (meaning)阝
+
Phonetic (sound)炎
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 郯

  1. 1The meaning half阝 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half炎 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaycity
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 郯? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 郯?

Decomposition of 郯

IDS Structure⿰炎阝
郯Full Character
=
炎yan2
left
阝yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 郯?

How to say surname Tan in Chinese

“surname Tan” in Chinese is郯tán

The character 郯 (tán) refers primarily to an ancient city known in historical texts. It is also used as a surname in China, particularly associated with the Tan family. The character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more relevant in historical or genealogical contexts.

When to use 郯

Since 郯 is not frequently used in modern language, learners may mistakenly use it in everyday conversation instead of more common characters. It typically appears in formal or historical contexts, so be sure to use it appropriately.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 郯 with more commonly used characters or use it incorrectly in casual conversation. For example, saying '我住在郯' (I live in Tán) is incorrect unless referring to a historical context; use more common city names instead.

Write 郯

郯

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 郯

Words Containing This Character3
郯tánsurname Tan
郯城Tancheng county in Linyi 臨沂|临沂[Lín​yí], Shandong
郯城县Tancheng county in Linyi 臨沂|临沂[Lín​yí], Shandong郯城縣
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 郯 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 郯

It primarily refers to an ancient city and can also be a surname.

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