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躔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
躔chánto follow, to imitate; path, rutg, 22 strokes, radical 足
躔cháncourse of starsunknown, 22 strokes, radical 足
躔chánfollow precedentunknown, 22 strokes, radical 足
chán(chan2) T2
  1. 1to follow, to imitate; path, rut
  2. 2course of stars
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March 24, 2026

躔chán(chan2)

The character 躔 (chán) means to follow or imitate. It can refer to following a path or course, whether literally like a rut in the ground, or metaphorically, such as following in someone’s footsteps or adhering to a precedent. This character can also relate to the movement of stars in the sky, suggesting a sense of direction or alignment.

Strokes22Radical足
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese philosophy, the concept of following paths often ties into Confucian ideals, where following the established moral and social courses is highly valued. This character reflects that cultural emphasis on precedents and established ways of life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person walking along a trail (the radical 躦 suggests movement) and leaving footprints behind (the character itself resembles footprints). As they walk, they are following the path that others have taken, just like how stars follow their courses in the night sky.

Meanings of 躔

chán(chan2)
1to follow, to imitate; path, rut
2course of stars
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 躔

躔Simplified
22Strokes
足Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 躔

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Podcast: 躔

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AI Study Notes for 躔

Usage Notes

This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more likely to appear in written texts or formal contexts. Be cautious of its tone; using the wrong tone may lead to misunderstandings. Common collocations include phrases related to following traditions or paths.

HSK Study Tips

While 躔 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can help learners connect with similar characters that denote movement or direction, such as 路 (lù - road) and 走 (zǒu - to walk). Focus on recognizing its context in literature or formal writing.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 躔 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, mistakenly using it in place of 跟 (gēn - to follow) in casual conversation is common. Ensure you understand the context where 躔 is more appropriate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 躔

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Etymology of 躔

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

foot

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 躔

  1. 1The meaning half足 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half廛 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfoot
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 躔? 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 躔?

Decomposition of 躔

IDS Structure⿰足廛
躔Full Character
=
足ju4
left
廛chan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 躔?

How to say to follow, to imitate; path, rut in Chinese

“to follow, to imitate; path, rut” in Chinese is躔chán

The character 躔 (chán) means to follow or imitate. It can refer to following a path or course, whether literally like a rut in the ground, or metaphorically, such as following in someone’s footsteps or adhering to a precedent. This character can also relate to the movement of stars in the sky, suggesting a sense of direction or alignment.

When to use 躔

This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more likely to appear in written texts or formal contexts. Be cautious of its tone; using the wrong tone may lead to misunderstandings. Common collocations include phrases related to following traditions or paths.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 躔 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, mistakenly using it in place of 跟 (gēn - to follow) in casual conversation is common. Ensure you understand the context where 躔 is more appropriate.

Write 躔

躔

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

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Word Family of 躔

Words Containing This Character1
躔cháncourse of stars
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 躔 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 躔

The primary meaning of 躔 is to follow or imitate, often in the context of following a path or precedent.

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Not sure what to learn after 躔?

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