Meanings of 钻
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About 钻
Podcast: 钻
Podcast: 钻
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AI Study Notes for 钻
钻 (zuān, to drill) vs 刺 (cì, to stab) — use 钻 for penetrating or boring into materials, while 刺 implies a sharp, forceful motion typically associated with weapons.
Be mindful that 钻 can have different meanings based on context; it can refer to both physical drilling and metaphorical penetration of subjects. Learners often confuse 钻 with the similar sounding character '钻' (zuàn), which also means diamond but is used differently. Use 钻 in informal contexts for drilling and studying, while '钻石' (zuànshí) is more formal for 'diamond.'
Though not an HSK level word, 钻 connects to basic verbs in Mandarin that indicate action, such as '走' (zǒu, to walk) and '跑' (pǎo, to run). Focus on its versatile use in both physical actions and abstract concepts, and practice sentences that incorporate drilling into topics.
Learners often confuse the pronunciation of 钻 (zuān) with the wrong tones or characters. For example, saying 'zuàn' instead of 'zuān' changes the meaning entirely. Always remember that 钻 with a rising tone is about drilling or penetrating.
Pronunciation of 钻
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Etymology of 钻
Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 占 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鑽.
metal
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 钻
Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 占 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鑽.
- 1The meaning half钅 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half占 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaymetal
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 钻? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 钻
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How to say an auger in Chinese
“an auger” in Chinese is钻
The character 钻 (zuān) primarily means 'to drill' or 'to bore,' and it can also refer to 'diamond' in certain contexts. It is commonly used when discussing the act of penetrating something, whether literally, like drilling into wood, or metaphorically, such as 'drilling into' a subject of study for deep understanding.
When to use 钻
Be mindful that 钻 can have different meanings based on context; it can refer to both physical drilling and metaphorical penetration of subjects. Learners often confuse 钻 with the similar sounding character '钻' (zuàn), which also means diamond but is used differently. Use 钻 in informal contexts for drilling and studying, while '钻石' (zuànshí) is more formal for 'diamond.'
钻 or something close to it
钻 (zuān, to drill) vs 刺 (cì, to stab) — use 钻 for penetrating or boring into materials, while 刺 implies a sharp, forceful motion typically associated with weapons.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse the pronunciation of 钻 (zuān) with the wrong tones or characters. For example, saying 'zuàn' instead of 'zuān' changes the meaning entirely. Always remember that 钻 with a rising tone is about drilling or penetrating.
Write 钻
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Practice writing 钻 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 钻
钻 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 12 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.
Complete the Sentence
别____牛角尖了。你知道我指什么。
Don't split hairs. You know what I'm getting at.
Example Sentences for 钻 (10)
Word Family of 钻
Compound Meaning
What does 钻 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 钻
Both characters can mean 'to drill' or refer to diamonds, but 钻 is more commonly used in modern contexts for drilling and studying, while 鑽 often refers to diamonds.
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