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棧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
棧zhànwarehouse; tavern, innzg, 12 strokes, radical 木
zhàn(zhan4) T4
  1. 1warehouse; tavern, inn
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

棧zhàn(zhan4)

The character 棧 (zhàn) primarily refers to a warehouse or a place where goods are stored. It can also indicate a tavern or inn, especially in historical contexts where travelers sought rest. This term is often associated with trade and commerce, reflecting its practical use in contexts involving storage and hospitality.

Strokes12Radical木
Cultural Note

Historically, inns (棧) were crucial for travelers during the Silk Road era, serving as important rest stops for merchants and travelers. Today, they symbolize the rich tradition of Chinese hospitality and commerce.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wooden rack (the radical 木) where travelers store their goods (仗) at a busy tavern (棧). Visualize a bustling inn filled with people resting after a long journey, where the innkeeper helps them organize their belongings on the shelves.

Meanings of 棧

zhàn(zhan4)
1warehouse; tavern, inn
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 棧

棧Simplified
12Strokes
木Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 棧

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Podcast: 棧

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AI Study Notes for 棧

Usage Notes

Be aware that 棧 is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation compared to simpler terms for storage or lodging. It often appears in written contexts like historical texts or business discussions. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding characters; remember to focus on the context to ensure clarity.

HSK Study Tips

While 棧 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it relates to HSK Level 4 words about places and storage, like 商店 (shāngdiàn, shop) and 酒店 (jiǔdiàn, hotel). Focus on recognizing its role in contexts of trade and hospitality.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 棧 with similar characters like 站 (zhàn, to stand) or 赞 (zàn, to praise), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我去棧' (Wǒ qù zhàn) instead of '我去酒店' (Wǒ qù jiǔdiàn) can be misleading if the intent is to refer to a hotel.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 棧

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Etymology of 棧

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

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 戋 represents the sound. Simplified form of 棧.

Memory Hint

wood

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)戔
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 棧

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 戋 represents the sound. Simplified form of 棧.

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half戔 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywood
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 棧? 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 棧?

Decomposition of 棧

IDS Structure⿰木戔
棧Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
戔jian1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 棧?

How to say warehouse; tavern, inn in Chinese

“warehouse; tavern, inn” in Chinese is棧zhàn

The character 棧 (zhàn) primarily refers to a warehouse or a place where goods are stored. It can also indicate a tavern or inn, especially in historical contexts where travelers sought rest. This term is often associated with trade and commerce, reflecting its practical use in contexts involving storage and hospitality.

When to use 棧

Be aware that 棧 is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation compared to simpler terms for storage or lodging. It often appears in written contexts like historical texts or business discussions. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding characters; remember to focus on the context to ensure clarity.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 棧 with similar characters like 站 (zhàn, to stand) or 赞 (zàn, to praise), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我去棧' (Wǒ qù zhàn) instead of '我去酒店' (Wǒ qù jiǔdiàn) can be misleading if the intent is to refer to a hotel.

Write 棧

棧

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 棧

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, the concept of an inn often emphasizes quaint, family-run establishments, while in Chinese culture, inns (棧) historically served as vital hubs for trade and social interaction.

Word Family of 棧

Words Containing This Character11
客栈tavern客棧
栈zhàna warehouse棧
栈道plank walkway constructed on the face of a cliff棧道
货栈warehouse貨棧
栈桥a pier棧橋
堆栈storehouse堆棧
恋栈to be reluctant to give up a post戀棧
栈房warehouse棧房
粮栈wholesale grain store糧棧
驽马恋栈豆an incompetent man clings to a good position (idiom)駑馬戀棧豆
栈存储器stack memory (computing)棧存儲器
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 客栈 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 棧

棧 is used to refer to warehouses and inns, particularly in historical or formal contexts.

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