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聃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
聃dānears without rims; a nicknameg, 11 strokes, radical 耳
聃dānears without rimunknown, 11 strokes, radical 耳
dān(dan1) T1
  1. 1ears without rims; a nickname
  2. 2ears without rim
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March 24, 2026

聃dān(dan1)

The character 聃 (dān) refers to 'ears without rims,' highlighting a specific anatomical feature. It can also serve as a nickname, often used in literary contexts. It carries a unique nuance, often associated with perceptions of listening or attentiveness.

Strokes11Radical耳
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the ears are often associated with wisdom and the ability to listen attentively, which reflects the importance placed on listening in communication.

Memory Tip

Imagine a pair of ears that are so attentive, they don't need rims to catch every sound around them. The character 聃 has the radical for 'ear' (耳) on the left, which visually reinforces its meaning related to ears.

Meanings of 聃

dān(dan1)
1ears without rims; a nickname
2ears without rim
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 聃 means.

About 聃

聃Simplified
11Strokes
耳Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 聃

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Podcast: 聃

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AI Study Notes for 聃

Usage Notes

A common mistake is using 聃 in everyday conversation, as it is more appropriate in literary or poetic contexts. Be mindful of the formal register when using this character, as it may not be well understood in casual dialogue.

HSK Study Tips

Although 聃 is not directly included in HSK levels, it can help learners understand the connection between characters that involve the ear radical (耳), such as 聞 (wén, to hear) and 耳 (ěr, ear). Focus on the radical to unlock related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 聃 with other ear-related characters, using it incorrectly in contexts where simpler terms like 耳 (ěr) would suffice. For example, saying '我有聃' (wǒ yǒu dān) instead of '我有耳' (wǒ yǒu ěr) for 'I have ears.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 聃

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Etymology of 聃

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

ear

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

Origin

聃 = 耳 + 冉. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 聃

IDS Structure⿰耳冉
聃Full Character
=
耳er3
left
冉ran3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 聃?

How to say ears without rims; a nickname in Chinese

“ears without rims; a nickname” in Chinese is聃dān

The character 聃 (dān) refers to 'ears without rims,' highlighting a specific anatomical feature. It can also serve as a nickname, often used in literary contexts. It carries a unique nuance, often associated with perceptions of listening or attentiveness.

When to use 聃

A common mistake is using 聃 in everyday conversation, as it is more appropriate in literary or poetic contexts. Be mindful of the formal register when using this character, as it may not be well understood in casual dialogue.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 聃 with other ear-related characters, using it incorrectly in contexts where simpler terms like 耳 (ěr) would suffice. For example, saying '我有聃' (wǒ yǒu dān) instead of '我有耳' (wǒ yǒu ěr) for 'I have ears.'

Write 聃

聃

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

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Word Family of 聃

Words Containing This Character2
老聃another name for Laozi 老子[Lǎo​zǐ]
聃dānears without rim
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 聃

What does 老聃 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 聃

It literally means 'ears without rims,' which describes a specific type of ear anatomy.

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