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疳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
疳gānrickets, chickenpox; childhood diseasen, 10 strokes, radical 疒
gān(gan1) T1
  1. 1rickets, chickenpox; childhood disease
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

疳gān(gan1)

The character 疳 (gān) refers to a specific childhood disease, commonly known as rickets or, in some contexts, chickenpox. It is characterized by a deficiency of vitamin D, leading to softening and weakening of bones in children. The term is used primarily in medical contexts when discussing pediatric health.

Strokes10Radical疒
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, children’s health is often a significant concern for families, and discussions about diseases like 疳 reflect the importance of nutrition and preventive care in child-rearing practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a child with weak bones and a sunny sky above, representing the lack of vitamin D (the sun) needed for strong bones. The character 疳 includes the radical 疒 (disease), indicating that it pertains to health issues, while 'gān' sounds like 'gone,' as in the health of the child is 'gone' due to this disease.

Meanings of 疳

gān(gan1)
1rickets, chickenpox; childhood disease
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 疳

疳Simplified
10Strokes
疒Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 疳

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Podcast: 疳

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AI Study Notes for 疳

Usage Notes

This term is primarily used in medical or health-related discussions, so it may not be commonly encountered in everyday conversation. Be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing 'gān' could lead to confusion with similar-sounding words. It is often used in collocations related to childhood diseases.

HSK Study Tips

Although 疳 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is essential for learners interested in medical terminology. Students should focus on related vocabulary such as 疾病 (jíbìng - disease) and 症状 (zhèngzhuàng - symptoms) to build a broader understanding of health-related terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 疳 with other similar-sounding diseases. For example, saying '疳是流感' (gān shì liúgǎn - 'gān is the flu') is incorrect; it should be clarified that 疳 is rickets, not influenza.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 疳

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Etymology of 疳

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

sickness

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 疳

  1. 1The meaning half疒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half甘 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysickness
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 疳? 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 疳?

Decomposition of 疳

IDS Structure⿸疒甘
疳Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
甘Gan1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 疳?

How to say rickets, chickenpox; childhood disease in Chinese

“rickets, chickenpox; childhood disease” in Chinese is疳gān

The character 疳 (gān) refers to a specific childhood disease, commonly known as rickets or, in some contexts, chickenpox. It is characterized by a deficiency of vitamin D, leading to softening and weakening of bones in children. The term is used primarily in medical contexts when discussing pediatric health.

When to use 疳

This term is primarily used in medical or health-related discussions, so it may not be commonly encountered in everyday conversation. Be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing 'gān' could lead to confusion with similar-sounding words. It is often used in collocations related to childhood diseases.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 疳 with other similar-sounding diseases. For example, saying '疳是流感' (gān shì liúgǎn - 'gān is the flu') is incorrect; it should be clarified that 疳 is rickets, not influenza.

Write 疳

疳

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

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Word Family of 疳

Words Containing This Character1
疳gānrickets
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 疳 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 疳

Common symptoms include bone pain, weakness, and deformities in growing children due to vitamin D deficiency.

Jason Recommends

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Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.