Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
馓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
馓sǎnfried round cakes of wheat flourng, 15 strokes, radical 饣
sǎn(san3) T3
  1. 1fried round cakes of wheat flour
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

馓(饊)sǎn(san3)

The character 馓 (sǎn) refers to a type of fried round cake made from wheat flour, often enjoyed as a snack or treat in Chinese cuisine. Commonly found in regional variations, these cakes are characterized by their crispy texture and can be associated with festive occasions or local delicacies.

Strokes15Radical饣
Cultural Note

馓子 is particularly popular during the Chinese New Year in some regions, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune. The preparation and sharing of these treats often bring families together during the festive season.

Memory Tip

Imagine a round cake made of wheat flour that 'sands' your taste buds with its crispy texture. The character 馓 resembles a cake (its rounded top) and the radical for food (饣) emphasizes its culinary nature, helping you remember its pronunciation (sǎn).

Meanings of 馓

sǎn(san3)
1fried round cakes of wheat flour
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 馓

馓Simplified
饊Traditional
15Strokes
饣Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 馓

JasonAmy

Podcast: 馓

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 馓

Usage Notes

When discussing food, be careful to use the correct tone, as 'sǎn' (馓) is different from other similar-sounding words. This term is informal and typically used in casual settings. Common collocations include '馓子制作' (making fried cakes) and '馓子口味' (flavors of fried cakes).

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in the HSK vocabulary list, understanding 馓 can enhance your culinary vocabulary at HSK Level 3. Focus on linking this word to other food-related terms to build a broader context in your learning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 馓 (sǎn) with similar-sounding words like 扇 (shàn, fan) due to tone differences. For example, saying '我想吃扇子' (I want to eat a fan) instead of '我想吃馓子' (I want to eat fried round cakes) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 馓

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 馓 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 馓

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

Phonosemantic compound. 饣 represents the meaning and 散 represents the sound. Simplified form of 饊.

Memory Hint

food

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 馓

Phonosemantic compound. 饣 represents the meaning and 散 represents the sound. Simplified form of 饊.

  1. 1The meaning half饣 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half散 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfood
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 馓? 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 馓?

Decomposition of 馓

IDS Structure⿰饣散
馓Full Character
=
饣shi2
left
散san3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 馓?

How to say fried round cakes of wheat flour in Chinese

“fried round cakes of wheat flour” in Chinese is馓sǎn

The character 馓 (sǎn) refers to a type of fried round cake made from wheat flour, often enjoyed as a snack or treat in Chinese cuisine. Commonly found in regional variations, these cakes are characterized by their crispy texture and can be associated with festive occasions or local delicacies.

When to use 馓

When discussing food, be careful to use the correct tone, as 'sǎn' (馓) is different from other similar-sounding words. This term is informal and typically used in casual settings. Common collocations include '馓子制作' (making fried cakes) and '馓子口味' (flavors of fried cakes).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 馓 (sǎn) with similar-sounding words like 扇 (shàn, fan) due to tone differences. For example, saying '我想吃扇子' (I want to eat a fan) instead of '我想吃馓子' (I want to eat fried round cakes) can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 馓

馓

Practice writing 馓 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 馓

Words Containing This Character2
馓sǎndeep-fried noodle cake饊
馓子deep-fried noodle cake饊子
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 馓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 馓

馓 is typically crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, making it a delightful snack.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 馓?

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.