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烂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
烂lànsoftHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànmushyHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànwell-cooked and softHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànto rotHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànto decomposeHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànrottenHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànworn outHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànchaoticHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànmessyHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànutterlyHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànthoroughlyHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànovercooked, overripe; rotten, spoiledHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂làncrappyHSK 6, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
烂lànbadHSK 6, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 火, rank #1108, Hard
làn(lan4) T4
  1. 1soft
  2. 2mushy
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

烂(爛)làn(lan4)

The character 烂 (làn) primarily means 'to rot' or 'to decompose,' often used to describe food that has gone bad or is overly soft. In broader contexts, it can refer to anything that is chaotic, messy, or in a state of disrepair, conveying a sense of utter deterioration or failure.

Strokes9Radical火Frequency#1108DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of food being '烂' is particularly relevant during festivals when food quality is emphasized. For example, serving fresh, well-cooked dishes is a sign of respect towards guests.

Memory Tip

Imagine a rotten fruit that has become so soft and mushy that it falls apart in your hands. The character 烂 looks like a combination of fire (represented by the top part) and something decaying (the bottom part represents soil or earth), reminding you that something can be both cooked and spoiled.

Meanings of 烂

làn(lan4)
1soft
2mushy
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 烂

烂Simplified
爛Traditional
9Strokes
火Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1108Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 烂

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Podcast: 烂

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 烂

Quick Contrast

坏 (huài) - use 烂 (làn) when emphasizing decomposition or extreme deterioration, whereas 坏 (huài) is more general for 'bad' or 'broken'.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 烂 with similar-sounding words that have positive or neutral connotations. This term is quite informal and often used in conversational contexts. Common collocations include '烂苹果' (rotten apple) or '烂掉' (to rot away).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 烂 connects well with other verbs describing states or conditions, such as '坏' (huài - bad) and '破' (pò - broken). Focus on using it in sentences describing food or situations to reinforce its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 烂 by applying it to neutral or positive contexts, such as saying '这个电影烂' (This movie is good), which should instead be '这个电影很好' (This movie is good). Remember, 烂 is negative!

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 烂

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Etymology of 烂

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

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 兰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 爛.

Memory Hint

fire

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 烂

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 兰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 爛.

  1. 1The meaning half火 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half兰 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfire
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 烂? 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 烂?

Decomposition of 烂

IDS Structure⿰火兰
烂Full Character
=
火Huo3
left
兰Lan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 烂?

How to say soft in Chinese

“soft” in Chinese is烂làn

The character 烂 (làn) primarily means 'to rot' or 'to decompose,' often used to describe food that has gone bad or is overly soft. In broader contexts, it can refer to anything that is chaotic, messy, or in a state of disrepair, conveying a sense of utter deterioration or failure.

When to use 烂

Be careful not to confuse 烂 with similar-sounding words that have positive or neutral connotations. This term is quite informal and often used in conversational contexts. Common collocations include '烂苹果' (rotten apple) or '烂掉' (to rot away).

烂 or something close to it

坏 (huài) - use 烂 (làn) when emphasizing decomposition or extreme deterioration, whereas 坏 (huài) is more general for 'bad' or 'broken'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 烂 by applying it to neutral or positive contexts, such as saying '这个电影烂' (This movie is good), which should instead be '这个电影很好' (This movie is good). Remember, 烂 is negative!

Write 烂

烂

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 烂

烂 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 14 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 5

Complete the Sentence

你一直穿你的旧衣服，直到穿____了为止吗？

Do you wear your old clothes until they fall to pieces?

Common Confusions with 烂

烂vs滥
làn

Same pronunciation but different meanings and usages.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "soft"?

or

Usage Notes for 烂

Misuse of 烂 in contextsCommon Error

Learners sometimes confuse 烂 with similar characters like 滥. 烂 should specifically refer to things that are rotten or well-cooked, whereas 滥 relates to excess or abuse.

1

这个水果烂了。

This fruit has rotted.

2

他做事情太滥了。

He is too excessive in what he does.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

这个水果____了。

This fruit has rotted.

Example Sentences for 烂 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
你一直穿你的旧衣服，直到穿烂了为止吗？

nǐ yī zhí chuān nǐ de jiù yī fú， ， zhí dào chuān làn le wéi zhǐ？

Do you wear your old clothes until they fall to pieces?
2
我认为这是有史以来播出的最烂的节目之一。

wǒ rèn wéi zhè shì yǒu shǐ yǐ lái bō chū de zuì làn de jié mù zhī yī。

I judged it to be one of the worst programmes ever screened.
3
我不明白他为何用这种烂事来烦我。

wǒ bù míng bái tā wéi hé yòng zhè zhǒng làn shì lái fán wǒ。

I don't know why he bothers me with this kind of rubbish.
4
有踩烂的青草与泥土的味道。

yǒu cǎi làn de qīng cǎo yǔ ní tǔ de wèi dào。

There was a smell of trampled grass and earth.
5
我对自己想好的说法已烂熟于心。

wǒ duì zì jǐ xiǎng hǎo de shuō fǎ yǐ làn shú yú xīn。

I have my story down pat.
6
我穿好衣服，走进灿烂的阳光中。

wǒ chuān hǎo yī fú， ， zǒu jìn càn làn de yáng guāng。

I got dressed and emerged into glorious sunshine.
7
弗兰克·马里亚诺驾驶他那辆破烂不堪的皮卡车成功穿越了沙漠地带。

fú lán kè· · mǎ lǐ yà nuò jià shǐ tā nà liàng pò làn bù kān de pí kǎ chē chéng gōng chuān yuè le shā mò dì。

Frank Mariano negotiates the desert terrain in his battered pickup.
8
他声称帕索利尼追上去打他，把他推倒在烂泥里。

tā shēng chēng pà suǒ lì ní zhuī shàng qù dǎ tā， ， bǎ tā tuī dǎo zài làn ní。

He claims Pasolini overtook and tackled him, pushing him into the dirt.
9
尤其是在四五月份，不计其数的野花盛开，山谷里一片绚烂色彩。

yóu qí shì zài sì wǔ yuè fèn， ， bù jì qí shù de yě huā shèng， kāi ， shān gǔ lǐ yī piàn xuàn làn。

Millions of wild flowers colour the valleys, especially in April and May.
10
他有一双明亮的蓝眼睛和一脸灿烂的微笑。

tā yǒu yī shuāng míng liàng de lán yǎn jīng hé yī liǎn càn làn de wēi xiào。

He has clear blue eyes and a dazzling smile.

Word Family of 烂

Words Containing This Character20
烂lànsoft爛
灿烂cànlànto glitter燦爛
腐烂fǔlànto rot腐爛
破烂worn-out破爛
烂摊子terrible mess爛攤子
绚烂splendid絢爛
糜烂dissipated糜爛
焦头烂额fig. hard-pressed焦頭爛額
砸烂to smash砸爛
烂泥mud爛泥
溃烂to fester潰爛
烂漫brightly colored爛漫
海枯石烂fig. forever海枯石爛
烂熟well cooked爛熟
稀烂smashed up稀爛
天真烂漫innocent and unaffected天真爛漫
霉烂mold霉爛
烂醉dead drunk爛醉
滚瓜烂熟to know sth inside out滾瓜爛熟
烂醉如泥lit. as drunk as mud爛醉如泥
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 烂 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 烂

烂 (làn) specifically refers to something that is overly soft, often due to spoilage or overcooking, while 软 (ruǎn) simply means 'soft' without the negative connotation. For instance, bread can be 软 if it's fresh and fluffy, but it may become 烂 if left out too long and begins to rot.

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