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撺 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
cuānrush, hurry; to stir up, to urge; to fling, to throwv, 15 strokes, radical 扌, Very Hard
cuānstir upunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, Very Hard
cuānthrowunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, Very Hard
cuānflingunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, Very Hard
cuānrageunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, Very Hard
cuān(cuan1) T1
  1. 1rush, hurry; to stir up, to urge; to fling, to throw
  2. 2stir up
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March 24, 2026
(攛)cuān(cuan1)

The character 撺 (cuān) primarily means to rush or hurry, but it also implies stirring up or urging someone to action. It can denote a sense of throwing or flinging something with force. This word is often used in contexts where someone is pushing or inciting others to act quickly or energetically.

Strokes15RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the connotation of urging someone can often relate to collective action within groups or communities, reflecting a cultural emphasis on harmony and promptness in social settings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person (represented by the character) rushing to throw a ball into the air (the top components suggest motion). The sound 'cuān' can be linked to the idea of 'sudden movement,' making it easier to remember the urgency associated with the character.

Meanings of 撺

cuān(cuan1)
1rush, hurry; to stir up, to urge; to fling, to throw
2stir up
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 撺

Simplified
Traditional
15Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 撺

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AI Study Notes for 撺

Quick Contrast

撺 (cuān) vs 催 (cuī) — use 撺 (cuān) when emphasizing inciting or urging someone to act energetically, while 催 (cuī) focuses more on prompting or urging someone to do something in a timely manner.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person (represented by the character) rushing to throw a ball into the air (the top components suggest motion). The sound 'cuān' can be linked to the idea of 'sudden movement,' making it easier to remember the urgency associated with the character.

Usage Notes

Beware of mixing up 撺 with similar-sounding words, as it has a specific connotation of urgency and incitement. It is more commonly used in informal contexts; in formal writing, one might choose words like 促进 (cùjìn) for 'promote' instead. A common collocation is 撺掇 (cuān duō), meaning to urge or instigate.

HSK Study Tips

Although 撺 is not an HSK level word, it connects with concepts of speed and urgency found in lower levels, such as 快 (kuài) meaning 'fast' or 急 (jí) meaning 'urgent.' Students should focus on the nuances of urgency and incitement in usage.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the connotation of urging someone can often relate to collective action within groups or communities, reflecting a cultural emphasis on harmony and promptness in social settings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 撺 with similar characters like 赶 (gǎn), which means 'to hurry,' but lacks the connotation of urging others. For instance, saying '我撺去商店' (I hurried to the store) is incorrect; it should be '我去商店' (I went to the store).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 撺

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Etymology of 撺

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

hand

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 撺?

Decomposition of 撺

IDS Structure⿰扌窜
Full Character
=
shou3
left
cuan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 撺?

Write 撺

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

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Grammar Patterns of 撺

撺 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 5 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 1

Complete the Sentence

他们从未被____掇去冒这样的风险。

They have never been actively encouraged to take such risks.

Example Sentences for 撺 (1)

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1
他们从未被撺掇去冒这样的风险。

tā mén cóng wèi bèi cuān duō qù mào zhè yàng de fēng xiǎn。

They have never been actively encouraged to take such risks.

Cultural Notes for 撺

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the connotation of urging someone can often relate to collective action within groups or communities, reflecting a cultural emphasis on harmony and promptness in social settings.

Word Family of 撺

Words Containing This Character2
撺掇to urge sb on攛掇
cuānrush
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 撺掇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 撺

While both can mean to urge, 撺 implies a more forceful incitement to action, whereas 催 (cuī) usually suggests a gentle prompting.