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鑽 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鑽zuāndiamond; to bore, to drill, to piercezg, 26 strokes, radical 釒, rank #29135, Very Hard
zuān(zuan1) T1
  1. 1diamond; to bore, to drill, to pierce
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March 24, 2026

鑽zuān(zuan1)

The character 鑽 (zuān) primarily means 'diamond' and also conveys the action of 'to bore,' 'to drill,' or 'to pierce.' In the context of gemstones, it refers to the precious stone known for its hardness and brilliance. Additionally, it can describe the action of drilling through materials, often used in both everyday and technical contexts.

Strokes26Radical釒Frequency#29135DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, diamonds are often associated with wealth and status, making 鑽 a significant character in discussions about luxury goods. Additionally, the use of diamond drills in construction and craftsmanship showcases the importance of precision and quality in Chinese craftsmanship.

Memory Tip

Think of 鑽 (zuān) as a 'drill' that goes through tough materials like a diamond. The character has the radical 金 (jīn), which means 'metal' or 'gold,' symbolizing the precious nature of diamonds. Imagine a diamond drill piercing through rock to help you remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 鑽

zuān(zuan1)
1diamond; to bore, to drill, to pierce
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 鑽

鑽Simplified
26Strokes
釒Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鑽

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Podcast: 鑽

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AI Study Notes for 鑽

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 鑽 can have different connotations based on context. In informal settings, it might refer to drilling in a casual sense, while in formal settings, it could indicate the precision of diamond drilling. A common mistake is to confuse it with the character 磨 (mó), which means 'to grind' rather than 'to drill.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 鑽 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of related words, such as 鑽石 (zuānshí - diamond) and 鑽孔 (zuānkǒng - to drill a hole). Focus on the character's components and related terms to build a more robust vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鑽 with the character 錐 (zhuī), which means 'awl' or 'sharp tool for boring.' Make sure to use 鑽 when discussing diamonds or the action of drilling, and not 錐.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鑽

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Etymology of 鑽

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 占 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鑽.

Memory Hint

metal

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

Origin

鑽 = 釒 + 贊. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 鑽

IDS Structure⿰釒贊
鑽Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
贊zan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 鑽?

How to say diamond; to bore, to drill, to pierce in Chinese

“diamond; to bore, to drill, to pierce” in Chinese is鑽zuān

The character 鑽 (zuān) primarily means 'diamond' and also conveys the action of 'to bore,' 'to drill,' or 'to pierce.' In the context of gemstones, it refers to the precious stone known for its hardness and brilliance. Additionally, it can describe the action of drilling through materials, often used in both everyday and technical contexts.

When to use 鑽

Be mindful that 鑽 can have different connotations based on context. In informal settings, it might refer to drilling in a casual sense, while in formal settings, it could indicate the precision of diamond drilling. A common mistake is to confuse it with the character 磨 (mó), which means 'to grind' rather than 'to drill.'

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鑽 with the character 錐 (zhuī), which means 'awl' or 'sharp tool for boring.' Make sure to use 鑽 when discussing diamonds or the action of drilling, and not 錐.

Write 鑽

鑽

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

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Word Family of 鑽

Words Containing This Character20
钻zuānto drill鑽
钻石zuànshídiamond鑽石
钻进to get into鑽進
钻研zuānyánto delve into鑽研
钻头drill bit鑽頭
钻戒diamond ring鑽戒
钻孔to drill鑽孔
钻井a borehole鑽井
钻探drilling鑽探
钻牛角尖a wild goose chase鑽牛角尖
电钻electric drill電鑽
刁钻crafty刁鑽
钻心to sneak in鑽心
钻空子zuānkòngzilit. to drill a hole鑽空子
钻营to curry favor鑽營
手钻gimlet手鑽
风钻jackhammer風鑽
开钻to start drilling開鑽
钻劲application to the task鑽勁
钻探机drilling machine鑽探機
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 鑽

What does 钻 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鑽

鑽 (zuān) means 'to drill' or refers to diamonds, while 磨 (mó) means 'to grind.' They refer to different actions and should not be confused.

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