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串 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
串chuànto string togetherHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànto mix upHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànto conspireHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànto roveHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànto make a swift or abrupt linear movement (like a bead on an abacus)HSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànto move acrossHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànbunch or clusterHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànstring (computing)HSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànclassifier for rows or stringsHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànstring; relatives; to conspireHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànto skewerHSK 6, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànto connect wronglyHSK 6, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànto gang upHSK 6, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànbunchHSK 6, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànskewerHSK 6, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
串chuànclassifier for things that are strung together, or in a bunch, or in a row: string of, bunch of, series ofHSK 6, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 丨, rank #4815, Hard
chuàn(chuan4)chuan T4
  1. 1to string together
  2. 2to mix up
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March 24, 2026

串chuàn(chuan4)

The character 串 (chuàn) primarily means 'to string together' or 'to skewer'. It is commonly used in contexts involving food, such as skewered meat on a stick, but can also mean to connect or mix things up in various contexts, including social or conspiratorial situations. The nuances include its applications in both tangible and abstract connections.

Strokes7Radical丨Frequency#4815DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

串 is often associated with street food culture in China, where skewers of meat and vegetables, known as 串串, are a popular snack enjoyed by many, especially in night markets. This reflects the social aspect of dining in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a string of beads being threaded onto a needle. Each bead represents a different idea or object that you are connecting together, much like the pronunciation 'chuàn' sounds like 'chuan', which can remind you of a 'chain' of connections.

Meanings of 串

chuàn(chuan4)
1to string together
2to mix up
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 串 means.

About 串

串Simplified
7Strokes
丨Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#4815Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 串

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Podcast: 串

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AI Study Notes for 串

Quick Contrast

串 (chuàn) vs 线 (xiàn) — use 串 for food or social connections, while 线 refers specifically to lines or threads.

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using 串 in different contexts, as it can imply a negative connotation when referring to conspiracies or mixing up information. It is generally informal and should be used with care in professional settings. Common collocations include 串串 (chuan chuan, skewers) and 串联 (chuan lian, to connect in series).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 串 connects well with other advanced vocabulary related to food, connections, and social interactions. Focus on its multiple meanings and practice using it in various sentences to grasp its versatility.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 串 with similar-sounding words. For example, saying '我串了这些信息' (I strung together this information) can be misleading; a better way would be '我混合了这些信息' (I mixed up this information) when the context isn’t about physical strings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 串

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Etymology of 串

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

Pictograph of two objects on a skewer or strung together.

Memory Hint

Two objects 口 strung 丨 together

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

Origin

What kind of character is 串?

Decomposition of 串

IDS Structure⿻⿱口口丨
串Full Character
=
口kou3
top
口kou3
bottom
丨gun3
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 串?

How to say to string together in Chinese

“to string together” in Chinese is串chuàn

The character 串 (chuàn) primarily means 'to string together' or 'to skewer'. It is commonly used in contexts involving food, such as skewered meat on a stick, but can also mean to connect or mix things up in various contexts, including social or conspiratorial situations. The nuances include its applications in both tangible and abstract connections.

When to use 串

Be cautious when using 串 in different contexts, as it can imply a negative connotation when referring to conspiracies or mixing up information. It is generally informal and should be used with care in professional settings. Common collocations include 串串 (chuan chuan, skewers) and 串联 (chuan lian, to connect in series).

串 or something close to it

串 (chuàn) vs 线 (xiàn) — use 串 for food or social connections, while 线 refers specifically to lines or threads.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 串 with similar-sounding words. For example, saying '我串了这些信息' (I strung together this information) can be misleading; a better way would be '我混合了这些信息' (I mixed up this information) when the context isn’t about physical strings.

Write 串

串

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

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Grammar Patterns of 串

串 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 16 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 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

她买了一____葡萄。

She bought a bunch of grapes.

Example Sentences for 串 (10)

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1
现在让我来将我的论点串起来。

xiàn zài ràng wǒ lái jiāng wǒ de lùn diǎn chuàn qǐ lái。

Let me now pull together the threads of my argument.
2
经过一连串充满敌意的争吵,交易泡汤了。

jīng guò yī lián chuàn chōng mǎn dí yì de zhēng chǎo, , jiāo yì pào tāng。

The deal ended after a series of rancorous disputes.
3
马克被一连串借口打发了。

mǎ kè bèi yī lián chuàn jiè kǒu dǎ fā le。

Mark was palmed off with a series of excuses.
4
这是一长串悲剧事件中最新的一件。

zhè shì yī cháng chuàn bēi jù shì jiàn zhōng zuì xīn de yī jiàn。

It's the latest in a long line of tragedies.
5
如果一家公司倒闭,便有可能引发一连串的破产。

rú guǒ yī jiā gōng sī dǎo bì, , biàn yǒu kě néng yǐn fā yī lián chuàn de pò。

If one firm goes under it could provoke a cascade of bankruptcies.
6
几位资深政治家串通起来确保他不会获释。

jī wèi zī shēn zhèng zhì jiā chuàn tōng qǐ lái què bǎo tā bù huì huò shì。

Senior politicians connived to ensure that he was not released.
7
我们稀里糊涂,看串了数字栏。

wǒ mén xī lǐ hū tú, , kàn chuàn le shù zì。

We had stupidly been looking at the wrong column of figures.
8
敌军对该城发起连串炮轰。

dí jūn duì gāi chéng fā qǐ lián chuàn páo hōng。

Enemy forces lobbed a series of artillery shells onto the city.
9
布拉格把他主要人物的身世都串在一起。

bù lā gé bǎ tā zhǔ yào rén wù de shēn shì dū chuàn zài yī qǐ。

Bragg weaves together the histories of his main characters.
10
弗兰克从口袋里掏出一大串钥匙。

fú lán kè cóng kǒu dài lǐ tāo chū yī dà chuàn yuè chí。

Frank took a large ring of keys from his pocket.

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Word Family of 串

Compounds5
患huan4to suffer (from illness)
窜cuan4to flee
梙
賗
鋛
Words Containing This Character20
串chuànto skewer
一连串yìliánchuàna succession of一連串
客串to substitute for
串通to collude
串门chuànménto call on sb串門
串联to establish ties or contact串聯
反串to masquerade as an opponent
串行to miss a line
字符串string (computer science)
串口serial port (computing)
羊肉串lamb kebab
连串one after the other連串
串通一气to act in collusion (idiom)串通一氣
串供to collude to fabricate a story
贯串to pierce through貫串
串换to exchange串換
串味to pick up an odor
串门子to call on sb串門子
钱串string of cash錢串
串乡to go from village to village (like an itinerant artist)串鄉
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 串

What does 患 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 串

串 can mean to string together, skewer, or to mix up and connect in various contexts. It also refers to a classifier for a series or bunch of items.

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