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杠杆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
杠杆gànggǎnleverHSK 7, n, 14 strokes, rank #20533, Very Hard
杠杆gànggǎnpry barHSK 7, n, 14 strokes, rank #20533, Very Hard
杠杆gànggǎncrowbarHSK 7, n, 14 strokes, rank #20533, Very Hard
杠杆gànggǎnfinancial leverageHSK 7, n, 14 strokes, rank #20533, Very Hard
gànggǎn(gang4gan3)gang gan T4
  1. 1lever
  2. 2pry bar
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March 24, 2026

杠杆(槓桿)gànggǎn(gang4gan3)

杠杆 (gànggǎn) refers to a lever or a device used to lift heavy objects with little effort. It can also denote financial leverage, which is the use of borrowed funds to increase the potential return of an investment. In both contexts, the core idea is about using a small force to achieve a larger effect.

Strokes14Frequency#20533DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of leverage is often associated with wisdom in making decisions, reflecting the proverb '以少胜多' (yǐ shǎo shèng duō), meaning 'to win with less against more', which resonates with the idea of using leverage effectively.

Memory tip

Imagine a giant lever (杠杆) lifting a heavy rock. The '杠' (gàng) looks like a strong stick pushing down, while '杆' (gǎn) resembles the heavy object being lifted. Together, they create a mental image of leverage in action, and the pronunciation 'gànggǎn' can be remembered by thinking of a 'gang' of strong friends helping you lift something heavy.

Meanings of 杠杆

gànggǎn(gang4gan3)
1lever
2pry bar
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 杠杆

杠杆Simplified
槓桿Traditional
14Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#20533Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7TOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1

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AI study notes for 杠杆

Usage Notes

杠杆 is commonly used in both physical and financial contexts. When discussing financial matters, be cautious of using it in informal settings, as it may come off as overly technical. A common collocation is '金融杠杆' (jīnróng gànggǎn), which means 'financial leverage'.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 杠杆 connects with terms related to finance and physics. Students should focus on understanding its application in both physical and metaphorical contexts, especially in discussions about finance and investment strategies.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 杠杆 with related terms like 力 (lì) or 机械 (jīxiè). For example, saying '我需要一个力' (Wǒ xūyào yīgè lì) instead of '我需要一个杠杆' (Wǒ xūyào yīgè gànggǎn) can lead to misunderstanding, as 力 does not refer to a physical tool.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 杠杆

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Component characters

杠gāngflagpole
7 strokes木
View full entry
杆gǎnpole
HSK 77 strokes木
View full entry

How to say lever in Chinese

“lever” in Chinese is杠杆gànggǎn

杠杆 (gànggǎn) refers to a lever or a device used to lift heavy objects with little effort. It can also denote financial leverage, which is the use of borrowed funds to increase the potential return of an investment. In both contexts, the core idea is about using a small force to achieve a larger effect.

When to use 杠杆

杠杆 is commonly used in both physical and financial contexts. When discussing financial matters, be cautious of using it in informal settings, as it may come off as overly technical. A common collocation is '金融杠杆' (jīnróng gànggǎn), which means 'financial leverage'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 杠杆 with related terms like 力 (lì) or 机械 (jīxiè). For example, saying '我需要一个力' (Wǒ xūyào yīgè lì) instead of '我需要一个杠杆' (Wǒ xūyào yīgè gànggǎn) can lead to misunderstanding, as 力 does not refer to a physical tool.

Write 杠杆

杠
杆

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Grammar patterns of 杠杆

杠杆 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 4 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 2

Fill the gap

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

电梯修理工可以转动这根____直接操作机器。

An elevator mechanic can work the machinery directly by turning this lever.

Example sentences for 杠杆 (2)

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1
电梯修理工可以转动这根杠杆直接操作机器。

diàntī xiūlǐ gōng kěyǐ zhuàndòng zhè gēn gànggǎn zhíjiē cāozuò jīqì。

An elevator mechanic can work the machinery directly by turning this lever.
2
锹和耙的手柄较长,可发挥较好的杠杆作用。

qiāo hé bà de shǒu bǐng jiào cháng, kě fāhuī jiào hǎode gànggǎn zuòyòng。

The spade and fork have longer shafts, providing better leverage.

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Frequently asked questions about 杠杆

杠杆 can be used to describe physical levers in physics, as well as financial leverage in investment discussions.

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