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蛮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蛮mánbarbarianHSK 7, d, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #3150, Hard
蛮mánbullyingHSK 7, d, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #3150, Hard
蛮mánveryHSK 7, d, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #3150, Hard
蛮mánquiteHSK 7, d, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #3150, Hard
蛮mánroughHSK 7, d, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #3150, Hard
蛮mánrecklessHSK 7, d, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #3150, Hard
蛮mánbarbarians; barbarous, rude, savageHSK 7, d, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #3150, Hard
mán(man2) T2
  1. 1barbarian
  2. 2bullying
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
蛮(蠻)mán(man2)

The character 蛮 (mán) can refer to a barbarian or someone who is rough and reckless. In modern usage, it often describes behavior that is rude or bullying, as well as emphasizing a degree of something, such as 'very' or 'quite.' Its nuances range from describing a lack of civility to emphasizing a strong degree of an adjective.

Strokes12Radical虫Frequency#3150DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the term 蛮 can evoke historical references to the 'barbarians' from the north or south, which were often seen as uncivilized compared to the Han Chinese. This historical context adds depth to its meaning, reflecting long-standing cultural attitudes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bull (representing '蛮' as strong and rough) charging through a quiet village. The loud 'm' sound of 'mán' connects to the sound of the bull's stampede, making it easy to remember that this character signifies a rough, barbaric nature.

Meanings of 蛮

mán(man2)
1barbarian
2bullying
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蛮

蛮Simplified
蠻Traditional
12Strokes
虫Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#3150Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 蛮

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Podcast: 蛮

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蛮

Quick Contrast

蛮 (mán) vs 粗 (cū) — use 蛮 for emphasizing a strong degree or rudeness, while 粗 refers specifically to roughness or coarseness in texture or behavior.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a bull (representing '蛮' as strong and rough) charging through a quiet village. The loud 'm' sound of 'mán' connects to the sound of the bull's stampede, making it easy to remember that this character signifies a rough, barbaric nature.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 蛮 can have a negative connotation, especially in interpersonal contexts. It is often used informally and may not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 蛮横 (mánhéng - bullying) and 蛮干 (mángàn - to act recklessly).

HSK Study Tips

While 蛮 is not specifically categorized under HSK levels, learners should note it can be useful in expressing degrees of adjectives. Focus on how it pairs with other adjectives to enhance your descriptive abilities in Mandarin.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the term 蛮 can evoke historical references to the 'barbarians' from the north or south, which were often seen as uncivilized compared to the Han Chinese. This historical context adds depth to its meaning, reflecting long-standing cultural attitudes.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蛮 with 盲 (máng, meaning 'blind'). For instance, saying '他蛮目' (Tā mán mù) instead of '他盲目' (Tā mángmù) could lead to misunderstandings, as the meanings differ significantly.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蛮

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Etymology of 蛮

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Like 亦 insects 虫

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蛮?

Decomposition of 蛮

IDS Structure⿱亦虫
蛮Full Character
=
亦yi4
top
虫chong2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蛮?

Write 蛮

蛮

Practice writing 蛮 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 蛮

蛮 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 7 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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

她的分数____高的，大学肯定能考上。

Her score is quite high — she can definitely get into university.

Common Confusions with 蛮

蛮vs满
mǎn

Phonetic similarity, but 蛮 relates to roughness or barbarism

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "barbarian"?

or

Example Sentences for 蛮 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
詹森是个危险人物，可能会变得非常野蛮而凶残。

zhān sēn shì gè wēi xiǎn rén wù， ， kě néng huì biàn dé fēi cháng yě mán ér xiōng。

Jensen is a dangerous man, and can be very brutal and reckless.
2
在那儿工作挺不错。说实在的，蛮好玩儿的。

zài nà ér gōng zuò tǐng bù cuò。 。 shuō shí zài， de ， mán hǎo wán。

Working there's great. It's quite a good laugh actually.
3
那人野蛮粗俗。

nà rén yě mán cū sú。

The man was brutish and coarse.
4
男人给她的感受是支配一切，野蛮残暴。

nán rén gěi tā de gǎn shòu shì zhī pèi yī qiē， ， yě mán cán。

Her experience of men was of domination and brutality.
5
他们那帮孩子野蛮得很，还认为我们太女孩子气。

tā mén nà bāng hái zǐ yě mán dé hěn， ， huán rèn wéi wǒ mén tài nǚ hái zǐ。

They were rough kids, and thought we were sissies.
6
五世纪时野蛮人的入侵

wǔ shì jì shí yě mán rén de rù qīn

barbarian invasions of the fifth century
7
母马容忍后代粗暴和野蛮的程度教人意外.

mǔ mǎ róng rěn hòu dài cū bào hé yě mán de chéng dù jiào rén yì wài.

Mares are surprisingly tolerant of the roughness and rudeness of their own offspring.
8
让他们蛮干好 啦 ( 我不相信他们敢蛮干 )!

ràng tā mén mán gān hǎo( lā ( wǒ bù xiāng xìn tā mén gǎn)!

Let them do their worst! ( I defy them to do their worse! )
9
我不相信他们敢蛮干!

wǒ bù xiāng xìn tā mén gǎn mán gān!

I defy them to do their worse!
10
骗不动,就用蛮功!

piàn bù dòng, , jiù yòng mán!

If you can't coax her , bring her by force.

Cultural Notes for 蛮

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the term 蛮 can evoke historical references to the 'barbarians' from the north or south, which were often seen as uncivilized compared to the Han Chinese. This historical context adds depth to its meaning, reflecting long-standing cultural attitudes.

Word Family of 蛮

Words Containing This Character14
蛮mánvery蠻
野蛮yěmánbarbarous野蠻
蛮横rude and unreasonable蠻橫
蛮荒savage蠻荒
胡搅蛮缠to pester endlessly (idiom)胡攪蠻纏
蛮干to act rashly蠻幹
蛮不讲理completely unreasonable蠻不講理
刁蛮crafty and unruly刁蠻
蛮子barbarian蠻子
蛮夷barbarian蠻夷
蛮横无理rude and unreasonable蠻橫無理
横蛮rude and unreasonable橫蠻
蛮缠to pester蠻纏
蛮悍rude and violent蠻悍
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 蛮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蛮

You can say '他蛮喜欢这个电影' (Tā mán xǐhuān zhège diànyǐng) meaning 'He quite likes this movie.'