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赞叹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
赞叹zàntànto sigh or gasp in admirationHSK 7, v, rank #19655, Hard
赞叹zàntànhigh praiseHSK 7, v, rank #19655, Hard
赞叹zàntànto exclaim in admirationHSK 7, unknown, rank #19655, Hard
zàntàn(zan4tan4) T4
  1. 1to sigh or gasp in admiration
  2. 2high praise
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
赞叹(讚嘆)zàntàn(zan4tan4)

赞叹 means to express admiration or praise, often accompanied by a gesture of awe or amazement. It is commonly used in contexts where one is impressed by someone's achievements or beauty, conveying a sense of heartfelt appreciation.

Frequency#19655DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

赞叹 reflects a cultural appreciation for beauty and excellence in Chinese society, often seen in art and literature. The concept is also prevalent during festivals and celebrations where achievements are recognized.

Memory Tip

Picture a person with their mouth agape in awe, shouting '赞叹!' as they admire a breathtaking view. The character 赞 (zan) resembles a person giving a thumbs-up, while 叹 (tan) captures the sound of a deep sigh, emphasizing admiration.

Meanings of 赞叹

zàntàn(zan4tan4)
1to sigh or gasp in admiration
2high praise
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 赞叹

赞叹Simplified
讚嘆Traditional
Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#19655Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 赞叹

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Podcast: 赞叹

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AI Study Notes for 赞叹

Quick Contrast

赞美 (zànměi) — use 赞叹 when the admiration is more intense or awe-inspiring than just praise.

Memory Mnemonic

Picture a person with their mouth agape in awe, shouting '赞叹!' as they admire a breathtaking view. The character 赞 (zan) resembles a person giving a thumbs-up, while 叹 (tan) captures the sound of a deep sigh, emphasizing admiration.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 赞叹; it has a falling tone which can change the meaning if pronounced incorrectly. This word is generally used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in written or spoken praise.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 赞叹 connects with other advanced vocabulary related to emotions and expressions of sentiment. Focus on using it in conjunction with adjectives to enhance your descriptions of people or experiences.

Cultural Note

赞叹 reflects a cultural appreciation for beauty and excellence in Chinese society, often seen in art and literature. The concept is also prevalent during festivals and celebrations where achievements are recognized.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 赞叹 with 赞美 (zan4 mei3), which also means to praise but lacks the nuance of gasping in admiration. For example, saying '我赞美他的表演' (I admire his performance) is correct, but using 赞叹 here would be more expressive.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 赞叹

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Component Characters

zànto praise
HSK 416 strokes
View full entry
tànto sigh
5 strokes
View full entry

Write 赞叹

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

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Grammar Patterns of 赞叹

赞叹 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

她的美丽为所有人所____。

Her beauty is admired by everyone.

Example Sentences for 赞叹 (2)

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1
这座宏伟的教堂一定会让你止步赞叹。

zhè zuò hóng wěi de jiào táng yī dìng huì ràng nǐ zhǐ bù zàn tàn。

This magnificent church cannot fail to stop you in your tracks.
2
我不得不为这些体操运动员们高难度的扭体动作而赞叹。

wǒ bù dé bù wéi zhè xiē tǐ cāo yùn dòng yuán mén gāo nán dù de niǔ tǐ dòng zuò ér zàn tàn。

I had to admire the contortions of the gymnasts.

Cultural Notes for 赞叹

🏮Cultural insight

赞叹 reflects a cultural appreciation for beauty and excellence in Chinese society, often seen in art and literature. The concept is also prevalent during festivals and celebrations where achievements are recognized.

Frequently Asked Questions about 赞叹

You can say '我对他的演讲感到赞叹' (I am in awe of his speech).