HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8190, Very Hard
摊
tān
vendor's stand
HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8190, Very Hard
摊
tān
to spread out, to open, to allot; a merchant's stand
HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8190, Very Hard
tān(tan1) T1
1to spread out
2vendor's stand
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March 24, 2026
摊(攤)tān(tan1)
The character 摊 (tān) primarily means 'to spread out' or 'to lay open.' It is commonly used to refer to a vendor's stand, especially in markets where goods are displayed for sale. The nuance includes a sense of informal commerce, often associated with street vendors or small market stalls.
Strokes13Radical扌Frequency#8190DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, street vendors play a significant role in local economies and social life, especially in night markets. The character 摊 encapsulates this aspect of communal and accessible commerce.
Memory Tip
Imagine a vendor at a market who 'spreads out' their colorful goods on a stand. The character 摊 has the radical 手 (shǒu) which means 'hand,' emphasizing the action of laying out items by hand. Picture the vendor using their hands to spread everything out wide and attract customers.
Meanings of 摊
tān(tan1)
1to spread out
2vendor's stand
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 摊
摊Simplified
攤Traditional
13Strokes
扌Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#8190Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 摊
Podcast: 摊
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AI Study Notes for 摊
Quick Contrast
摊 (tān) vs 摆 (bǎi) — use 摊 when referring to informal vendor stands, while 摆 emphasizes the action of placing or arranging items.
Usage Notes
Be mindful that 摊 is informal and typically used in contexts related to markets or street selling. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 攤 (also pronounced tān) which may have different nuances. Use 摊 when referring specifically to vendor stands.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK level 6 word, 摊 connects with vocabulary related to commerce and daily life. Students should focus on its usage in various contexts related to buying and selling, as well as its interactions with verbs that describe actions of setting up or managing a stand.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 摊 with 站 (zhàn), which means 'station' or 'to stand.' For example, saying '我去摊' (wǒ qù tān) to mean 'I go to the station' is incorrect; it should be '我去站' (wǒ qù zhàn).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 摊
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Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 难 represents the sound. Simplified form of 攤.
1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
2The sound half难 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 摊? 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 摊?
Decomposition of 摊
IDS Structure⿰扌难
摊Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
难nan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 摊?
How to say to spread out in Chinese
“to spread out” in Chinese is摊tān
The character 摊 (tān) primarily means 'to spread out' or 'to lay open.' It is commonly used to refer to a vendor's stand, especially in markets where goods are displayed for sale. The nuance includes a sense of informal commerce, often associated with street vendors or small market stalls.
When to use 摊
Be mindful that 摊 is informal and typically used in contexts related to markets or street selling. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 攤 (also pronounced tān) which may have different nuances. Use 摊 when referring specifically to vendor stands.
摊 or something close to it
摊 (tān) vs 摆 (bǎi) — use 摊 when referring to informal vendor stands, while 摆 emphasizes the action of placing or arranging items.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 摊 with 站 (zhàn), which means 'station' or 'to stand.' For example, saying '我去摊' (wǒ qù tān) to mean 'I go to the station' is incorrect; it should be '我去站' (wǒ qù zhàn).
Write 摊
摊
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Practice writing 摊 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 摊
摊 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 3 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
Complete the Sentence
即使把价钱平____成6份，每人也还是要花一大笔钱。
Splitting the price six ways had still cost them each a bundle.
