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颤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
颤chànto tremblev, 19 strokes, radical 页, rank #9719, Hard
颤chànto shiverv, 19 strokes, radical 页, rank #9719, Hard
颤chànto shakev, 19 strokes, radical 页, rank #9719, Hard
颤chànto vibratev, 19 strokes, radical 页, rank #9719, Hard
颤chànTaiwan pr. [zhàn]v, 19 strokes, radical 页, rank #9719, Hard
颤chànto shiver, to tremble; tremblingv, 19 strokes, radical 页, rank #9719, Hard
颤chànTaiwan pr. [zhan4]unknown, 19 strokes, radical 页, rank #9719, Hard
chàn(chan4) T4
  1. 1to tremble
  2. 2to shiver
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
颤(顫)chàn(chan4)

The character 颤 (chàn) means to tremble or shake, often used to describe physical reactions to fear, cold, or excitement. It can also refer to vibrations, such as those caused by sound or movement. This word is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts, such as describing a person's voice trembling due to emotion.

Strokes19Radical页Frequency#9719DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, showing emotion through trembling or shaking can be seen as a sign of vulnerability, often highlighted in literature and film. The expression of fear or excitement through physical reactions is a common trope in storytelling.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant fan that is so powerful it makes everything around it tremble and shake. The character 颤 (chàn) visually represents this shaking, with the top part resembling a wave that reflects movement and vibration. The pronunciation 'chàn' can remind you of the sound of something trembling or shaking.

Meanings of 颤

chàn(chan4)
1to tremble
2to shiver
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 颤

颤Simplified
顫Traditional
19Strokes
页Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#9719Frequency Rank

Podcast: 颤

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Podcast: 颤

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AI Study Notes for 颤

Quick Contrast

颤 (chàn) vs 震 (zhèn): Use 颤 for trembling due to fear or emotion, while 震 is used for shaking or vibrating due to force or impact.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant fan that is so powerful it makes everything around it tremble and shake. The character 颤 (chàn) visually represents this shaking, with the top part resembling a wave that reflects movement and vibration. The pronunciation 'chàn' can remind you of the sound of something trembling or shaking.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 颤 (chàn) with similar words like 震 (zhèn), which means to shake or to shock in a more intense or violent way. 颤 is generally used in less formal contexts, and it's common to pair it with words like '声音' (shēngyīn - sound) to describe a trembling voice. Be careful with the tone; the second tone can change the meaning significantly.

HSK Study Tips

As this word is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, focus on its application in describing physical sensations and emotional states. It is beneficial to connect it with other HSK vocabulary related to emotions or physical actions, such as '害怕' (hàipà - to be afraid) or '抖' (dǒu - to shake).

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, showing emotion through trembling or shaking can be seen as a sign of vulnerability, often highlighted in literature and film. The expression of fear or excitement through physical reactions is a common trope in storytelling.

Common Mistakes

A typical mistake is to confuse 颤 with 震; for example, saying '我很震' (Wǒ hěn zhèn) instead of '我很颤' (Wǒ hěn chàn) to express trembling from fear. Make sure to use 颤 when referring to emotional trembling rather than physical shaking caused by impact.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 颤

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Etymology of 颤

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

leaf

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 颤?

Decomposition of 颤

IDS Structure⿰亶页
颤Full Character
=
亶Dan3
left
页ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 颤?

Write 颤

颤

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 颤

颤 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 7 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 4

Complete the Sentence

电梯开动了，接着剧烈震____起来，然后就毫无反应了。

The lift started off, juddered, and went out of action.

Example Sentences for 颤 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
电梯开动了，接着剧烈震颤起来，然后就毫无反应了。

diàn tī kāi dòng le， ， jiē zháo jù liè zhèn chàn qǐ， lái ， rán hòu jiù háo wú fǎn。

The lift started off, juddered, and went out of action.
2
她激动得声音颤抖，对他说：“这好像不公平吧。”

tā jī dòng dé shēng yīn chàn dǒu， ， duì tā：“ shuō ：“ zhè hǎo xiàng bù gōng。”

Her voice breaking with emotion, she told him: "It doesn't seem fair".
3
他说话时声音沙哑颤抖。

tā shuō huà shí shēng yīn shā yǎ chàn dǒu。

When he spoke, his voice was hoarse and cracked.
4
油门猛然加大到几乎让人恐惧的程度，整个汽车剧烈震颤着。

yóu mén měng rán jiā dà dào jī hū ràng rén kǒng jù de chéng dù， ， zhěng gè qì chē jù liè zhèn chàn。

The whole car shuddered with an almost frightening surge of power.
5
“请理解这一点，”她开始说道，声音有些发颤。

“ “ qǐng lǐ jiě zhè yī，” diǎn ，” tā kāi shǐ， shuō dào ， shēng yīn yǒu。

"Please understand this," she began, a tremble in her voice.
6
他的演说很难听懂，他的签名颤颤巍巍地无法识别。

tā de yǎn shuō hěn nán tīng dǒng， ， tā de qiān míng chàn chàn wēi wēi dì wú fǎ shí。

His speech was difficult to understand, his signature shaky and unrecognizable.
7
她胳膊下侧有一层肥肉一颤一颤的。

tā gē bó xià cè yǒu yī céng féi ròu yī chàn yī chàn de。

A roll of fat jiggled on the underside of her arm.
8
麦克说出最后这两个字时，吓得声音颤抖。

mài kè shuō chū zuì hòu zhè liǎng gè zì shí， ， xià dé shēng yīn chàn。

Mack made his voice quiver with fear on these last two words.
9
整个歌曲他是用高颤音唱的。

zhěng gè gē qū tā shì yòng gāo chàn yīn chàng de。

He warbled his way through the song.
10
摸到他湿冷的手时,她微微一颤.

mō dào tā shī lěng de shǒu shí, , tā wēi wēi yī.

She gave a little shudder when she touched his clammy hand.

Cultural Notes for 颤

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, showing emotion through trembling or shaking can be seen as a sign of vulnerability, often highlighted in literature and film. The expression of fear or excitement through physical reactions is a common trope in storytelling.

Word Family of 颤

Words Containing This Character12
颤抖chàndǒuto shudder顫抖
颤chànto tremble顫
颤动to tremble顫動
震颤to tremble震顫
颤栗to tremble顫慄
颤声trill (of voice)顫聲
颤音trill (in phonetics)顫音
颤巍巍trembling顫巍巍
发颤to shiver發顫
心惊胆颤scared witless心驚膽顫
胆颤心惊panic-stricken膽顫心驚
惊颤to quake in fear驚顫
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 颤抖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 颤

You can say, '我的声音颤抖了' (Wǒ de shēngyīn chàndǒu le) meaning 'My voice trembled.'