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癬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
癬xuǎnringwormsx, 22 strokes, radical 疒
xuǎn(xuan3) T3
  1. 1ringworms
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

癬xuǎn(xuan3)

癬 (xuǎn) refers specifically to a type of skin infection caused by fungi, commonly known as ringworm. This term is used primarily in medical contexts, describing various fungal infections that can affect different parts of the body, including the skin and scalp.

Strokes22Radical疒
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, skin conditions like those signified by 癬 are often treated with herbal remedies and acupuncture, reflecting a holistic approach to health prevalent in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'ring' around a 'worm' that is causing irritation on the skin. The character 癬 has the radical 疒 (related to illness) which reminds you that it's about a skin ailment, while 'xuǎn' sounds like 'swollen', evoking the uncomfortable feeling of a ringworm infection.

Meanings of 癬

xuǎn(xuan3)
1ringworms
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 癬

癬Simplified
22Strokes
疒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 癬

JasonAmy

Podcast: 癬

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 癬

Usage Notes

This term is primarily used in medical discussions, so it may not be encountered in everyday conversation. Be careful with pronunciation; the third tone (xuǎn) can be challenging for learners. Common collocations include 癬病 (ringworm disease) and 癬菌 (ringworm fungus).

HSK Study Tips

癬 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, but understanding it can be useful for learners interested in health-related terminology. Focus on recognizing the radical 疒 and connecting it with other health-related terms like 病 (bìng, disease) at HSK Level 3.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 癬 as 'xuan' without the correct tone, which can change the meaning. Additionally, some may confuse it with other diseases; it's crucial to remember that 癬 specifically refers to fungal infections.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 癬

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Etymology of 癬

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

Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 鲜 represents the sound. Simplified form of 癬.

Memory Hint

sickness

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 癬

Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 鲜 represents the sound. Simplified form of 癬.

  1. 1The meaning half疒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half鮮 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 癬? 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 癬?

Decomposition of 癬

IDS Structure⿸疒鮮
癬Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
鮮xian1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 癬?

How to say ringworms in Chinese

“ringworms” in Chinese is癬xuǎn

癬 (xuǎn) refers specifically to a type of skin infection caused by fungi, commonly known as ringworm. This term is used primarily in medical contexts, describing various fungal infections that can affect different parts of the body, including the skin and scalp.

When to use 癬

This term is primarily used in medical discussions, so it may not be encountered in everyday conversation. Be careful with pronunciation; the third tone (xuǎn) can be challenging for learners. Common collocations include 癬病 (ringworm disease) and 癬菌 (ringworm fungus).

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 癬 as 'xuan' without the correct tone, which can change the meaning. Additionally, some may confuse it with other diseases; it's crucial to remember that 癬 specifically refers to fungal infections.

Write 癬

癬

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 癬

Words Containing This Character6
癣xuǎnringworm癬
牛皮癣psoriasis牛皮癬
脚癣athlete's foot腳癬
足癣athlete's foot足癬
头癣favus of the scalp (skin disease)頭癬
体癣ringworm體癬
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 癣 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 癬

癬 means 'ringworm', a fungal skin infection.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 癬?

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.