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诠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
quánto expound, to explain, to comment onHSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 讠, rank #35563, Very Hard
quánto commentHSK 7, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, rank #35563, Very Hard
quánto annotateHSK 7, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, rank #35563, Very Hard
quán(quan2) T2
  1. 1to expound, to explain, to comment on
  2. 2to comment
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(詮)quán(quan2)

The character 诠 (quán) means to expound or explain something in detail. It is commonly used in academic and literary contexts when discussing interpretations or annotations of texts. The nuance of this word indicates a thoughtful and thorough examination of a subject.

Strokes8RadicalFrequency#35563DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, the practice of annotation and commentary has a long tradition, especially in classical texts like the Confucian Analects. 诠 reflects the importance placed on understanding and interpreting historical works.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'quaint' scholar, dressed in traditional robes, sitting in a quaint library, passionately explaining ancient texts. The character 诠 has the radical for 'speech' (讠) on the left, emphasizing its connection to communication and explanation.

Meanings of 诠

quán(quan2)
1to expound, to explain, to comment on
2to comment
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 诠

Simplified
Traditional
8Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 诠

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 诠

Quick Contrast

解释 (jiěshì) vs 说明 (shuōmíng) — use 诠 when emphasizing a deep, detailed interpretation, while 解释 is more about general explanation and 说明 focuses on clarification.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'quaint' scholar, dressed in traditional robes, sitting in a quaint library, passionately explaining ancient texts. The character 诠 has the radical for 'speech' (讠) on the left, emphasizing its connection to communication and explanation.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 诠 with 传 (chuán), which means to pass on information. 诠 is more formal and often used in written contexts, while 传 can be used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 诠释 (quánshì - to interpret) and 诠解 (quánjiě - to explain).

HSK Study Tips

Although 诠 is not in the HSK vocabulary list, it is related to higher-level terms that involve explanation and interpretation. Students should focus on its use in academic texts and practice forming sentences with related terms.

Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, the practice of annotation and commentary has a long tradition, especially in classical texts like the Confucian Analects. 诠 reflects the importance placed on understanding and interpreting historical works.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 诠 with 评 (píng), which means to evaluate. For example, saying '我会评这篇文章' (I will evaluate this article) instead of '我会诠释这篇文章' (I will expound on this article) can lead to misunderstanding.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 诠

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Etymology of 诠

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 全 represents the sound. Simplified form of 詮.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 诠?

Decomposition of 诠

IDS Structure⿰讠全
Full Character
=
yan2
left
Quan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 诠?

Write 诠

Practice writing 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 诠

诠 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 1

Complete the Sentence

学生们被要求____释那首诗的意义。

The students were asked to interpret the poem.

Example Sentences for 诠 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
学生们被要求诠释那首诗的意义。

xué shēng mén bèi yào qiú quán shì nà shǒu shī de yì yì。

The students were asked to interpret the poem.

Cultural Notes for 诠

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese literature, the practice of annotation and commentary has a long tradition, especially in classical texts like the Confucian Analects. 诠 reflects the importance placed on understanding and interpreting historical works.

Word Family of 诠

Words Containing This Character3
诠释to interpret詮釋
quánto explain
诠注exegesis詮註
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 诠释 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 诠

No, 诠 is more commonly found in formal writing and academic discussions.