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陕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
陕shǎnmountain pass; the Shanxi provincens, 8 strokes, radical 阝, Very Hard
陕shǎnabbr. for Shaanxi 陝西|陕西 provinceunknown, 8 strokes, radical 阝, Very Hard
shǎn(Shan3) T3
  1. 1mountain pass; the Shanxi province
  2. 2abbr. for Shaanxi 陝西|陕西 province
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March 24, 2026

陕(陝)shǎn(Shan3)

The character 陕 (shǎn) primarily refers to a mountain pass or the concept of a narrow passage through mountains. It is also used as an abbreviation for Shaanxi province (陕西), which is historically significant in China. This character is often encountered in geographical contexts and discussions about Chinese provinces.

Strokes8Radical阝Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Shaanxi province is known as the cradle of Chinese civilization, housing the ancient capital Xi'an and the Terracotta Army. Understanding this character can enhance learners' appreciation of China's rich history and geography.

Memory Tip

Imagine a narrow mountain pass (山, shān) that leads you into the heart of the famous Shaanxi province. The left side of the character resembles a mountain (山) while the right side gives a hint of the concept of passing through, making it easier to recall its meaning.

Meanings of 陕

shǎn(Shan3)
1mountain pass; the Shanxi province
2abbr. for Shaanxi 陝西|陕西 province
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 陕

陕Simplified
陝Traditional
8Strokes
阝Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 陕

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Podcast: 陕

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AI Study Notes for 陕

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a narrow mountain pass (山, shān) that leads you into the heart of the famous Shaanxi province. The left side of the character resembles a mountain (山) while the right side gives a hint of the concept of passing through, making it easier to recall its meaning.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 陕 with similar characters, such as 除 (chú) or 难 (nán), which have different meanings. It is generally used in formal contexts, especially in discussions about geography. Common collocations include references to Shaanxi province and its attractions.

HSK Study Tips

Although 陕 is not in the HSK levels, learners should focus on recognizing it within the context of proper nouns and regional discussions. It connects to other geographical terms and may appear in texts related to Chinese history or travel.

Cultural Note

Shaanxi province is known as the cradle of Chinese civilization, housing the ancient capital Xi'an and the Terracotta Army. Understanding this character can enhance learners' appreciation of China's rich history and geography.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 陕 with the character 陕 for 'to pass through' in a more general sense. For example, using 陕 to describe any type of passage can be incorrect; instead, use it specifically for mountain passes or the province.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 陕

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Etymology of 陕

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A place 阝 wedged in a valley 夹

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 陕?

Decomposition of 陕

IDS Structure⿰阝夹
陕Full Character
=
阝yi4
left
夹jia1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 陕?

Write 陕

陕

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

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Cultural Notes for 陕

🏮Cultural insight

Shaanxi province is known as the cradle of Chinese civilization, housing the ancient capital Xi'an and the Terracotta Army. Understanding this character can enhance learners' appreciation of China's rich history and geography.

Word Family of 陕

Words Containing This Character12
陕西Shaanxi province (Shensi) in northwest China, abbr. 陝|陕[Shǎn], capital Xi’an 西安市[Xī​'ān​Shì]陝西
陕西省Shaanxi Province (Shensi) in northwest China, abbr. 陝|陕[Shǎn], capital Xi'an 西安[Xī​'ān]陝西省
陕shǎnabbr. for Shaanxi 陝西|陕西 province陝
陕北Shanbei, northern Shaanxi province, including Yulin 榆林 and Yan'an 延安, a Holy Land of Mao's revolution 革命聖地|革命圣地陝北
陕南Shannan, southern Shaanxi province陝南
陕甘Shaanxi and Gansu provinces陝甘
陕西师范大学Shaanxi Normal University陝西師範大學
陕甘宁Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia provinces陝甘寧
陕县Shan county in Sanmenxia 三門峽|三门峡[Sān​mén​xiá], Henan陝縣
陕西科技大学Shaanxi University of Science and Technology陝西科技大學
宁陕县Ningshan County in Ankang 安康[An​kāng], Shaanxi寧陝縣
宁陕Ningshan County in Ankang 安康[An​kāng], Shaanxi寧陝
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 陕西 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 陕

It refers to a mountain pass and is also an abbreviation for Shaanxi province.