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儋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
儋dāna small jar; to bear a burden; a load of twons, 15 strokes, radical 亻
儋dāncarryunknown, 15 strokes, radical 亻
dān(dan1) T1
  1. 1a small jar; to bear a burden; a load of two
  2. 2carry
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

儋dān(dan1)

The character 儋 (dān) primarily refers to a small jar or container, often used for carrying items. It can also signify the act of bearing a burden or load, particularly when the load is twofold. This term is less commonly used in modern contexts but may still appear in literary or historical discussions.

Strokes15Radical亻
Cultural Note

The concept of carrying burdens is significant in Chinese literature, often symbolizing the weight of responsibilities or familial obligations. The use of jars historically connects to traditional Chinese storage practices for grains and liquids.

Memory Tip

Imagine a small jar (the shape of 儋) filled with two heavy rocks, representing the burden it carries. The '人' (rén) radical suggests that a person is involved in carrying this load, helping you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 儋

dān(dan1)
1a small jar; to bear a burden; a load of two
2carry
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 儋

儋Simplified
15Strokes
亻Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 儋

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Podcast: 儋

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AI Study Notes for 儋

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 儋 with similar-sounding characters, as it is less frequent in daily conversation. It is more formal and may be used in literary contexts, so avoid using it in casual speech. Common collocations include phrases related to burden or load, but they may vary regionally.

HSK Study Tips

Though not on the HSK list, 儋 could be linked to words like 担 (dān, to carry) and 负担 (fùdān, burden), which are relevant at HSK Level 3. Focus on recognizing its use in context rather than daily conversation.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 儋 with 担 (dān), leading to misinterpretation of context. For example, saying '我有一个儋' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè dān) when referring to carrying a burden is incorrect; instead, use '我有一个担子' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè dānzi) for clarity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 儋

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Etymology of 儋

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

person

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 儋

  1. 1The meaning half亻 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half詹 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayperson
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 儋? 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 儋?

Decomposition of 儋

IDS Structure⿰亻詹
儋Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
詹Zhan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 儋?

How to say a small jar; to bear a burden; a load of two in Chinese

“a small jar; to bear a burden; a load of two” in Chinese is儋dān

The character 儋 (dān) primarily refers to a small jar or container, often used for carrying items. It can also signify the act of bearing a burden or load, particularly when the load is twofold. This term is less commonly used in modern contexts but may still appear in literary or historical discussions.

When to use 儋

Be cautious not to confuse 儋 with similar-sounding characters, as it is less frequent in daily conversation. It is more formal and may be used in literary contexts, so avoid using it in casual speech. Common collocations include phrases related to burden or load, but they may vary regionally.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 儋 with 担 (dān), leading to misinterpretation of context. For example, saying '我有一个儋' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè dān) when referring to carrying a burden is incorrect; instead, use '我有一个担子' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè dānzi) for clarity.

Write 儋

儋

Practice writing 儋 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 儋

Words Containing This Character4
儋州Danzhou City, Hainan
儋州市Danzhou city, Hainan
儋dāncarry
儋县Dan county, Hainan儋縣
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 儋州 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 儋

It is pronounced as 'dān' with a high level tone.

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