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March 24, 2026
拦(攔)lán(lan2)
The character 拦 (lán) means to block or obstruct someone's path or progress. It is commonly used in contexts where someone is physically stopped or hindered, such as flagging down a taxi or preventing someone from passing. The nuance of the word often implies an active intervention in someone's movement or actions.
Strokes8Radical扌Frequency#5056DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, it's common to see people flagging down taxis by using their hands to block the driver's path, which directly relates to the meaning of 拦. This action is vital in urban settings where taxis are a primary mode of transportation.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person with outstretched arms (the character's form) blocking the path of a taxi (the meaning). The '门' radical suggests a door or entrance, which can be visualized as the entrance being blocked. You can remember 'lán' by thinking of a 'lawn' that is obstructed by a fence.
Meanings of 拦
lán(lan2)
1to block sb's path
2to obstruct
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 拦
拦Simplified
攔Traditional
8Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#5056Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 拦
Podcast: 拦
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AI Study Notes for 拦
Quick Contrast
阻 (zǔ) - use 拦 when implying a physical obstruction, while 阻 emphasizes preventing or hindering in a broader sense.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 拦 with other similar verbs like 阻 (zǔ), which also means to obstruct but in a broader sense. 拦 is more physical and direct, while 阻 can refer to more abstract forms of obstruction. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, often paired with words like '车' (chē - car) when referring to flagging down a taxi.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 拦 connects well with other action verbs and words related to movement (e.g., 行 (xíng) - to walk, 走 (zǒu) - to go). Focus on practicing its usage in sentences involving actions that require intervention or stopping someone.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 拦 by substituting it with 阻 in contexts where physical blocking is involved, leading to confusion. For example, saying '我阻住了他' (Wǒ zǔ zhùle tā) is incorrect; it should be '我拦住了他' (Wǒ lán zhùle tā).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 拦
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Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 兰 represents the sound. Simplified form of 攔.
1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
2The sound half兰 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayhand
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 拦? 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 拦?
Decomposition of 拦
IDS Structure⿰扌兰
拦Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
兰Lan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 拦?
How to say to block sb's path in Chinese
“to block sb's path” in Chinese is拦lán
The character 拦 (lán) means to block or obstruct someone's path or progress. It is commonly used in contexts where someone is physically stopped or hindered, such as flagging down a taxi or preventing someone from passing. The nuance of the word often implies an active intervention in someone's movement or actions.
When to use 拦
Be careful not to confuse 拦 with other similar verbs like 阻 (zǔ), which also means to obstruct but in a broader sense. 拦 is more physical and direct, while 阻 can refer to more abstract forms of obstruction. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, often paired with words like '车' (chē - car) when referring to flagging down a taxi.
拦 or something close to it
阻 (zǔ) - use 拦 when implying a physical obstruction, while 阻 emphasizes preventing or hindering in a broader sense.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 拦 by substituting it with 阻 in contexts where physical blocking is involved, leading to confusion. For example, saying '我阻住了他' (Wǒ zǔ zhùle tā) is incorrect; it should be '我拦住了他' (Wǒ lán zhùle tā).
Write 拦
拦
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Practice writing 拦 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 拦
拦 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 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3
Used to emphasize the action of blocking or obstructing.
❝
他是拦住我的。
Tā shì lán zhù wǒ de.
He is the one who blocked me.
Exercise 1 of 1
Build the Sentence
He is the one who blocked me.
Tap tokens to build the sentence
Common Confusions with 拦
拦vs拗
niù
Similar appearance and phonetics but different meanings.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "to block sb's path"?
or
Usage Notes for 拦
Misuse of 拦Common Error
Learners often confuse 拦 with other verbs like 阻挡 (zǔ dǎng) which also means to block but has a different nuance.
1
我拦住了他。
I blocked him.
2
我阻挡了他的去路。
I obstructed his way.
Exercise 1 of 1
Fill in the Blank
我____住了他。
I blocked him.
Example Sentences for 拦 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我们通常以为被拦路抢劫的受害者是老年人。
wǒ mén tōng cháng yǐ wéi bèi lán lù qiāng jié de shòu hài zhě shì lǎo nián rén。
We usually think of a victim of mugging as being someone elderly.
2
他的车遭遇拦劫，随后他被4名持枪歹徒劫持。
tā de chē zāo yù lán jié， ， suí hòu tā4 bèi 4 míng chí qiāng dǎi tú。
His car was held up and he was abducted by four gunmen.
3
直到那个男人拦住她的去路，她才注意到他。
zhí dào nà gè nán rén lán zhù tā de qù lù， ， tā cái zhù yì dào。
She did not notice the man until he moved into her path.
4
绿色和平组织设法聚集起足够数量的小船在海上拦截该船。
lǜ sè hé píng zǔ zhī shè fǎ jù jí qǐ zú gòu shù liáng de xiǎo chuán zài hǎi shàng lán jié gāi chuán。
Greenpeace managed to assemble enough boats to waylay the ship at sea.
5
一道拦河坝将会在上游拦住水流，抬升水位。
yī dào lán hé bà jiāng huì zài shàng yóu lán zhù shuǐ liú， ， tái shēng shuǐ。
A barrage would halt the flow upstream and lift the water level.
6
警察拦住她，把她带到了警察局。
jǐng chá lán zhù tā， ， bǎ tā dài dào le jǐng chá。
The police stopped her and took her off to a police station.
