HSK 7, zg, 3 strokes, radical 丶, rank #7371, Very Hard
丸
wán
pellet
HSK 7, zg, 3 strokes, radical 丶, rank #7371, Very Hard
丸
wán
pill
HSK 7, zg, 3 strokes, radical 丶, rank #7371, Very Hard
丸
wán
ball, pebble, pellet, pill
HSK 7, zg, 3 strokes, radical 丶, rank #7371, Very Hard
wán(wan2) T2
1ball
2pellet
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March 24, 2026
丸wán(wan2)
The character '丸' (wán) refers to a rounded object, such as a ball, pellet, or pill. It is commonly used in contexts related to medicine, food, and even in traditional Chinese medicine where it denotes medicinal pills. The nuance of '丸' suggests something small and spherical.
Strokes3Radical丶Frequency#7371DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
'丸' is often found in traditional Chinese medicine, where herbal remedies are frequently made into pill form. This reflects the importance of holistic health practices in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a round pill that you can roll like a ball. The character '丸' resembles a ball that has been rolled on the ground, with the top part being the rounded shape. This visual connection can help you remember that 'wán' means ball or pill.
Meanings of 丸
wán(wan2)
1ball
2pellet
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 丸
丸Simplified
3Strokes
丶Radical
状态词zgnq (stat.)Part of Speech
#7371Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 丸
Podcast: 丸
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AI Study Notes for 丸
Quick Contrast
药 (yào) — use '丸' when referring specifically to small, rounded medicinal forms, while '药' is a broader term for medicine in general.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse '丸' with similar characters like '完' (wán, meaning complete), as they have different meanings. '丸' is generally used in informal contexts, especially in discussions about food or medicine. Common collocations include '药丸' (yào wán, meaning medicinal pill) and '丸子' (wánzi, meaning meatball).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 6 word, '丸' connects with other vocabulary related to medicine and food, such as '药' (yào, medicine) and '球' (qiú, ball). Students should focus on its applications in health contexts and practice forming phrases with it.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use '丸' in contexts that require more formal or specific terminology, such as using it for general objects instead of specifically for pills or balls. For instance, saying '这是一颗丸' (zhè shì yī kē wán) when referring to a piece of fruit would be incorrect; instead, use '这是一颗水果' (zhè shì yī kē shuǐguǒ).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 丸
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Depicts something tilted or leaning forward; i.e. something that can be turned around.
1The giveawayA fist 九 holding a pebble 丶
2On the record aspictographic — someone drew the thing itself.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 丸? 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 丸?
Decomposition of 丸
IDS Structure⿻九丶
丸Full Character
=
九jiu3
outer
丶—
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 丸?
How to say ball in Chinese
“ball” in Chinese is丸wán
The character '丸' (wán) refers to a rounded object, such as a ball, pellet, or pill. It is commonly used in contexts related to medicine, food, and even in traditional Chinese medicine where it denotes medicinal pills. The nuance of '丸' suggests something small and spherical.
When to use 丸
Be cautious not to confuse '丸' with similar characters like '完' (wán, meaning complete), as they have different meanings. '丸' is generally used in informal contexts, especially in discussions about food or medicine. Common collocations include '药丸' (yào wán, meaning medicinal pill) and '丸子' (wánzi, meaning meatball).
丸 or something close to it
药 (yào) — use '丸' when referring specifically to small, rounded medicinal forms, while '药' is a broader term for medicine in general.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use '丸' in contexts that require more formal or specific terminology, such as using it for general objects instead of specifically for pills or balls. For instance, saying '这是一颗丸' (zhè shì yī kē wán) when referring to a piece of fruit would be incorrect; instead, use '这是一颗水果' (zhè shì yī kē shuǐguǒ).
Write 丸
丸
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Practice writing 丸 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 丸
丸 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
我为什么非得服下所有这些药____呢？
Why do I have to take all these pills?
Example Sentences for 丸 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我为什么非得服下所有这些药丸呢？
wǒ wéi shí mó fēi dé fú xià suǒ yǒu zhè xiē yào wán ne？
Why do I have to take all these pills?
2
她让蒂娜把药丸扔进马桶里冲走。
tā ràng dì nà bǎ yào wán rēng jìn mǎ tǒng lǐ chōng zǒu。
She made Tina flush the pills down the toilet.
3
孩子吃掉药丸外面的糖,却把药吐了出来.
hái zǐ chī diào yào wán wài miàn de táng, , què bǎ yào tǔ le chū.
The boy spat out the pill after eating off its sugar coating.
4
目的探讨滋阴明目 丸 抗氧化及扩血管的作用.
mù de tàn tǎo zī yīn míng mù wán kàng yǎng huà jí kuò xiě guǎn de.
Objective To explore the antioxidation and vasodilator effect of Ziyingmingmu Pill ( ZYMMP ).
