Mandarin TempleCome for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
战 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
战zhànto fightHSK 6, n, 9 strokes, radical 戈, rank #1440, Hard
战zhànfightHSK 6, n, 9 strokes, radical 戈, rank #1440, Hard
战zhànwarHSK 6, n, 9 strokes, radical 戈, rank #1440, Hard
战zhànbattleHSK 6, n, 9 strokes, radical 戈, rank #1440, Hard
战zhànwar, fighting, battleHSK 6, n, 9 strokes, radical 戈, rank #1440, Hard
zhàn(zhan4)zhan T4
  1. 1to fight
  2. 2fight
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

战(戰)zhàn(zhan4)

The character 战 (zhàn) refers to the act of fighting or engaging in war, often associated with battles or conflicts. It can describe both physical confrontations and metaphorical struggles, such as competitive scenarios in business or sports. This term is commonly used in contexts related to military actions, sports competitions, and even personal disputes.

Strokes9Radical戈Frequency#1440DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 战 is deeply intertwined with historical events, such as the numerous dynastic wars and the philosophies of Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War,' which emphasizes strategy in conflict. This character often evokes thoughts of honor, bravery, and the consequences of warfare.

Memory tip

Imagine a fierce warrior holding a sword (the radical '戈' in 战) ready to fight. The '战' looks like a warrior with a weapon, ready to engage in battle, and it sounds like 'zhàn,' which you can remember as 'zhan the warrior.'

Meanings of 战

zhàn(zhan4)
1to fight
2fight
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 战 means.

About 战

战Simplified
戰Traditional
9Strokes
戈Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1440Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6

Podcast: 战

JasonAmy

Podcast: 战

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 战

Quick Contrast

战争 (zhànzhēng) refers specifically to war on a larger scale, while 战 (zhàn) can denote individual battles or conflicts.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 战 with other similar characters, such as 争 (zhēng), which means to argue or compete rather than fight. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but can have a more serious tone when discussing actual warfare. Common collocations include 战争 (zhànzhēng, war) and 战斗 (zhàndòu, combat).

HSK Study Tips

Although 战 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it connects with other HSK vocabulary related to conflict, such as 打 (dǎ, to hit) and 争 (zhēng, to argue). Students should focus on its usage in phrases and contexts related to competition and conflict.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 战 with similar terms like 争 (zhēng) or 斗 (dòu). For example, saying '我和他战' (Wǒ hé tā zhàn, 'I and he fight') instead of '我和他打' (Wǒ hé tā dǎ, 'I and he fight') can lead to confusion as it implies a more serious context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 战

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 战, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 战 to you

Let me explain 战 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 战 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 战?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 战 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 战

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

Phonosemantic compound. 戈 represents the meaning and 占 represents the sound. Simplified form of 戰.

Memory hint

spear

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

Origin

战 = 戈 + 占. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 战

IDS Structure⿰占戈
战Full character
=
占zhan1
left
戈Ge1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 战?

How to say to fight in Chinese

“to fight” in Chinese is战zhàn

The character 战 (zhàn) refers to the act of fighting or engaging in war, often associated with battles or conflicts. It can describe both physical confrontations and metaphorical struggles, such as competitive scenarios in business or sports. This term is commonly used in contexts related to military actions, sports competitions, and even personal disputes.

When to use 战

Be careful not to confuse 战 with other similar characters, such as 争 (zhēng), which means to argue or compete rather than fight. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but can have a more serious tone when discussing actual warfare. Common collocations include 战争 (zhànzhēng, war) and 战斗 (zhàndòu, combat).

战 or something close to it

战争 (zhànzhēng) refers specifically to war on a larger scale, while 战 (zhàn) can denote individual battles or conflicts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 战 with similar terms like 争 (zhēng) or 斗 (dòu). For example, saying '我和他战' (Wǒ hé tā zhàn, 'I and he fight') instead of '我和他打' (Wǒ hé tā dǎ, 'I and he fight') can lead to confusion as it implies a more serious context.

Write 战

战

Practice writing 战 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 战

战 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 5 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 4

Fill the gap

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

这是一部关于____争的电影。

This is a movie about war.

Common confusions with 战

战vs站
zhàn

Same pinyin but different meaning and usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “to fight”?

or

Usage Notes for 战

Confusing '战' with '站'Common Error

'战' means 'to fight', while '站' means 'to stand'. Be careful when writing.

1

他在战场上勇敢地战斗。

He fought bravely on the battlefield.

Exercise 1 of 1

Get it right

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

他在____场上勇敢地战斗。

He fought bravely on the battlefield.

Example sentences for 战 (15)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我本人也保证将继续为正义而战。

wǒ běnrén yě bǎozhèng jiāng jìxù wèi zhèngyì ér zhàn。

I too am committing myself to continue the fight for justice.
2
我用短波收音机收听最新的战事新闻。

wǒ yòng duǎn Bō shōuyīnjī shōutīng zuì xīn de zhàn shì xīnwén。

I use the short-wave radio to get the latest war news.
3
“沙锥鸟”战斗机的驾驶舱空间不太宽敞。

“ Shā zhuī niǎo” zhàndòu Jī de jiàshǐ cāng kōngjiān bùtài kuānchang。

There was not much elbow room in the cockpit of a Snipe.
4
你知道，战争期间我是一名陆军少校。

nǐ zhīdào， zhànzhēng qījiān wǒ shì yī míng lùjūn shǎo jiào。

I was a major in the war, you know.
5
麦克阿瑟将军曾是太平洋战区盟军的最高统帅。

mài kè Ā sè jiāngjūn céng shì tàipíngyáng zhàn Ōu méng jūn de zuì gāo tǒng shuài。

MacArthur was Supreme Commander for the allied powers in the Pacific.
6
我打了个寒战，用围巾把脖子围得更紧了。

wǒ dǎ le gè hán zhàn， yòng wéijīn bǎ bózi wéi de gèng jǐn le。

I shivered and pulled my scarf more tightly round my neck.
7
比赛形势决定了他们要打防守战而不是进攻战。

bǐsài xíngshì juédìng le tāmen yào dǎ fángshǒu zhàn ér bùshì jìngōng zhàn。

Circumstances dictated that they played a defensive rather than attacking game.
8
制造商之间的恶性价格战已将利润削减到了最低。

zhìzào Shāng zhījiān de èxìng jiàgé zhàn yǐ jiāng lìrùn xuējiǎn dào le zuì dī。

A vicious price war between manufacturers has cut margins to the bone.
9
战争颠倒是非：杀戮与残忍成了美德。

zhànzhēng diāndǎo shìfēi： shā lù yǔ cánrěn chéng le měidé。

War turns morality inside out: killing and cruelty are virtues.
10
这名重量级拳击冠军将尝试挑战霍利菲尔德的世界冠军头衔。

zhè míng zhòngliàngjí quánjī guànjūn jiāng chángshì tiǎozhàn huò lì fēi ěr dé de shìjiè guànjūn tóuxián。

The heavyweight champion will be given a shot at Holyfield's world title.
11
在这场战斗中，他英勇地战到了最后一刻。

Zài zhè chǎng zhàndòu zhōng, tā yīngyǒng de zhàn dào le zuìhòu yī kè.

In this battle, he fought bravely until the last moment.
12
为了和平，许多国家选择通过外交而不是战来解决冲突。

Wèi le hépíng, xǔduō guójiā xuǎnzé tōngguò wàijiāo ér bù shì zhàn lái jiějué chōngtú.

For the sake of peace, many countries choose to resolve conflicts through diplomacy rather than fighting.
13
在这部电影中，英雄们为了正义而奋力战。

Zài zhè bù diànyǐng zhōng, yīngxióngmen wèile zhèngyì ér fènlì zhàn.

In this movie, the heroes fight bravely for justice.
14
他对历史上每一场重要的战都了如指掌。

Tā duì lìshǐ shàng měi yī chǎng zhòngyào de zhàn dōu liǎorúzhǐzhǎng.

He knows every important battle in history like the back of his hand.
15
科学家们正在研究如何通过科技减少战的可能性。

Kēxuéjiāmen zhèngzài yánjiū rúhé tōngguò kējì jiǎnshǎo zhàn de kěnéngxìng.

Scientists are researching how to reduce the likelihood of fighting through technology.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 战?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Word Family of 战

Words containing this character20
战争zhànzhēngwar戰爭
战zhànfight戰
挑战tiǎozhànto challenge挑戰
战斗zhàndòuto fight戰鬥
战略zhànlüèstrategy戰略
战士zhànshìfighter戰士
战胜zhànshèngto defeat戰勝
作战zuòzhàncombat作戰
战术zhànshùtactics戰術
战场zhànchǎngbattlefield戰場
大战dàzhànwar大戰
战役zhànyìmilitary campaign戰役
开战kāizhànto start a war開戰
战机zhànjīwar secret戰機
战线zhànxiànbattle line戰線
战友zhànyǒucomrade-in-arms戰友
战斗机zhàndòujīfighter (aircraft)戰鬥機
二战èrzhànWorld War II二戰
备战bèizhànprepared against war備戰
战利品zhànlìpǐnspoils of war戰利品
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 战

What does 战争 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 战

战 (zhàn) usually refers to organized fighting, often in a military context, while 打 (dǎ) is more general and can mean to hit or strike. In casual conversation, 打 is used more frequently, whereas 战 is reserved for formal or serious discussions about conflict or war.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 战?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab