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蛋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蛋dàneggHSK 2, n, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #1135, Medium
蛋dànoval-shapedHSK 2, n, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #1135, Medium
蛋dàn>个[gè],打[dá]HSK 2, n, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #1135, Medium
蛋dànoval-shaped thingHSK 2, unknown, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #1135, Medium
dàn(Dan4) T4
  1. 1egg
  2. 2oval-shaped
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March 24, 2026
蛋dàn(Dan4)

The character 蛋 (dàn) primarily means 'egg' and is commonly used in culinary contexts, such as discussing food or recipes. It can also refer to anything that is oval-shaped, and is often used in combination with other characters to describe various egg-related dishes.

Strokes11Radical虫Frequency#1135DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, eggs are a symbol of new beginnings and fertility, often featured in traditional celebrations such as the Spring Festival. They are also prominent in various regional cuisines, highlighting their importance in everyday meals.

Memory Tip

Imagine a round egg (蛋) sitting in a pan, resembling the shape of an oval. The 'd' in 'dàn' can remind you of 'dome,' which is similar to the shape of an egg. Visualize the egg cracking open to reveal a delicious omelet, connecting the character to its culinary use.

Meanings of 蛋

dàn(Dan4)
1egg
2oval-shaped
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蛋

蛋Simplified
11Strokes
虫Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1135Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2ElementaryTOCFLL2YCTL3HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 蛋

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Podcast: 蛋

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AI Study Notes for 蛋

Quick Contrast

蛋 (dàn) vs 鸡蛋 (jīdàn) — use 蛋 for general references to eggs, while 鸡蛋 specifically means 'chicken egg'.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a round egg (蛋) sitting in a pan, resembling the shape of an oval. The 'd' in 'dàn' can remind you of 'dome,' which is similar to the shape of an egg. Visualize the egg cracking open to reveal a delicious omelet, connecting the character to its culinary use.

Usage Notes

Be careful with the pronunciation as it falls under the fourth tone, which can change its meaning if mispronounced. Common collocations include 蛋糕 (cake), 鸡蛋 (chicken egg), and 煮蛋 (boiled egg). It's generally used in both formal and informal contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蛋 (dàn) may not be explicitly listed in HSK levels, it connects with food-related vocabulary that is essential for daily life in China. Students should focus on its usage in sentences and practice with related terms like 鸡蛋 (jī dàn) and other food characters.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, eggs are a symbol of new beginnings and fertility, often featured in traditional celebrations such as the Spring Festival. They are also prominent in various regional cuisines, highlighting their importance in everyday meals.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蛋 (egg) with other similar-sounding words like 担 (dàn) meaning 'to carry.' A common mistake is saying '我喜欢担' when they mean 'I like eggs' — it should be '我喜欢蛋.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蛋

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Etymology of 蛋

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

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 延 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

insect

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蛋?

Decomposition of 蛋

IDS Structure⿱疋虫
蛋Full Character
=
疋pi3
top
虫chong2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蛋?

Write 蛋

蛋

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

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Grammar Patterns of 蛋

蛋 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

这个____糕好吃啊！

This cake is so delicious!

Example Sentences for 蛋 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这种稍加变化的可口煎蛋卷做起来又快又容易。

zhè zhǒng shāo jiā biàn huà de kě kǒu jiān dàn juàn zuò qǐ lái yòu kuài yòu róng yì。

This delicious variation on an omelette is quick and easy to prepare.
2
孩子们调皮捣蛋的时候她管不了。

hái zǐ mén tiáo pí dǎo dàn de shí hòu tā guǎn bù le。

When the children misbehaved she was unable to cope.
3
他叫我们滚蛋，于是我们威胁他的孩子。

tā jiào wǒ mén gǔn dàn， ， yú shì wǒ mén wēi xié tā de hái。

He told us to get stuffed so we leaned on his kid.
4
他年轻时是个十足的捣蛋鬼。

tā nián qīng shí shì gè shí zú de dǎo dàn guǐ。

He'd been a real hell-raiser as a young buck.
5
重复我对你说的话，你真是个捣蛋鬼。

zhòng fù wǒ duì nǐ shuō de huà， ， nǐ zhēn shì gè dǎo dàn。

You are a bad boy for repeating what I told you.
6
他开始认为自己是个倒霉蛋。

tā kāi shǐ rèn wéi zì jǐ shì gè dǎo méi dàn。

He was beginning to think he was a jinx.
7
蛋糕一烤好就从炉子里取出来。

dàn gāo yī kǎo hǎo jiù cóng lú zǐ lǐ qǔ chū lái。

As soon as the cake is done, remove it from the oven.
8
轻轻地调入搅拌好的蛋清。

qīng qīng dì tiáo rù jiǎo bàn hǎo de dàn qīng。

Gently fold in the whisked egg whites.
9
他好捣蛋，但却很讨人喜欢。

tā hǎo dǎo dàn， ， dàn què hěn tǎo rén xǐ。

He's a bit of a rogue, but very charming.
10
蛋糕应该是好的——我用了最好的配料.

dàn gāo yīng gāi shì hǎo de—— —— wǒ yòng le zuì hǎo de pèi.

The cake ought to be good — I used the best ingredients.

Cultural Notes for 蛋

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, eggs are a symbol of new beginnings and fertility, often featured in traditional celebrations such as the Spring Festival. They are also prominent in various regional cuisines, highlighting their importance in everyday meals.

Word Family of 蛋

Words Containing This Character20
混蛋scoundrel
蛋dànegg
蛋糕dàngāocake
笨蛋bèndànfool
鸡蛋jīdàn(chicken) egg雞蛋
蛋白egg white
蛋白质dànbáizhìprotein蛋白質
完蛋wándàn(coll.) to be done for
坏蛋bad egg壞蛋
脸蛋cheek臉蛋
滚蛋beat it!滾蛋
蛋蛋(coll.) balls (testicles)
彩蛋Easter egg
蛋黄egg yolk蛋黃
捣蛋to cause trouble搗蛋
球蛋白globulin
王八蛋bastard (insult)
白蛋白albumin
血红蛋白hemoglobin血紅蛋白
脂蛋白lipoprotein
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 混蛋 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蛋

Common dishes include 蛋炒饭 (fried rice with egg) and 煎蛋 (fried egg).