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March 24, 2026
玩wán(wan2)
The character 玩 (wán) primarily means 'to play' or 'to have fun.' It is commonly used in contexts involving leisure activities, games, and entertainment. Additionally, it can refer to objects used for amusement, such as toys or antiques, particularly in Taiwanese usage.
Strokes8Radical王Frequency#282DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of play is often associated with leisure activities that involve family and friends, highlighting the importance of community and social interaction. Children’s games can also reflect cultural values and traditions.
Memory Tip
Imagine a child holding a toy in one hand while playing with a ball in the other. The ‘玩’ character has a radical that resembles a person playing, and it sounds like 'wan,' which you can remember as 'one who plays.' Visualize this child fully immersed in fun, embodying the essence of 玩.
Meanings of 玩
wán(wan2)
1toy
2sth used for amusement
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 玩
玩Simplified
8Strokes
王Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#282Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L2HSK 3.0L1TOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 玩
Podcast: 玩
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AI Study Notes for 玩
Quick Contrast
玩 (wán) vs 逗 (dòu) — choose 玩 when referring to playing for enjoyment, while 逗 implies teasing or amusing someone.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 玩 with other similar verbs like 练 (liàn) meaning 'to practice.' It is generally informal, so it’s best used in casual settings rather than official contexts. Common collocations include 玩游戏 (wán yóuxì, 'to play games') and 玩具 (wánjù, 'toys').
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 2 word, 玩 connects well with other basic action verbs. Focus on using it in simple sentences to describe activities and gradually incorporate it into conversation about hobbies and entertainment.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 玩 with 玩儿 (wánr), which is a colloquial variant used in some regions. An example mistake is saying '我喜欢玩儿游戏' when it should be '我喜欢玩游戏' for proper usage.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 玩
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Phonosemantic compound. 𤣩 represents the meaning and 元 represents the sound.
1The meaning half王 carries the sense.
2The sound half元 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayjade
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 玩? 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 玩?
Decomposition of 玩
IDS Structure⿰王元
玩Full Character
=
王Wang2
left
元Yuan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 玩?
How to say toy in Chinese
“toy” in Chinese is玩wán
The character 玩 (wán) primarily means 'to play' or 'to have fun.' It is commonly used in contexts involving leisure activities, games, and entertainment. Additionally, it can refer to objects used for amusement, such as toys or antiques, particularly in Taiwanese usage.
When to use 玩
Learners often confuse 玩 with other similar verbs like 练 (liàn) meaning 'to practice.' It is generally informal, so it’s best used in casual settings rather than official contexts. Common collocations include 玩游戏 (wán yóuxì, 'to play games') and 玩具 (wánjù, 'toys').
玩 or something close to it
玩 (wán) vs 逗 (dòu) — choose 玩 when referring to playing for enjoyment, while 逗 implies teasing or amusing someone.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 玩 with 玩儿 (wánr), which is a colloquial variant used in some regions. An example mistake is saying '我喜欢玩儿游戏' when it should be '我喜欢玩游戏' for proper usage.
Write 玩
玩
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Grammar Patterns of 玩
玩 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 9 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.
