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喘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
喘chuǎnto gaspHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #4444, Hard
喘chuǎnto pantHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #4444, Hard
喘chuǎnasthmaHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #4444, Hard
喘chuǎnto pant, to gasp, to breathe heavilyHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #4444, Hard
chuǎn(chuan3) T3
  1. 1to gasp
  2. 2to pant
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
喘chuǎn(chuan3)

The character 喘 (chuǎn) refers to the act of gasping or panting, often due to physical exertion or respiratory distress. It can be used in medical contexts, such as describing asthma, and is commonly used to convey the struggle of breathing heavily after exercise or during illness.

Strokes12Radical口Frequency#4444DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, breathing techniques are vital for health, and understanding the concept of 喘 is important for discussing respiratory issues. It reflects the cultural emphasis on holistic health and wellness.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person running up a steep hill, gasping for breath at the top. The sound of their breathing is like 'chuǎn', where the 'ch' sound echoes their struggle. The character itself has the mouth radical '口', symbolizing the act of breathing.

Meanings of 喘

chuǎn(chuan3)
1to gasp
2to pant
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 喘

喘Simplified
12Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#4444Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 喘

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Podcast: 喘

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AI Study Notes for 喘

Quick Contrast

喘 (chuǎn) vs 气喘 (qìchuǎn) — use 喘 (chuǎn) for the act of gasping, while 气喘 (qìchuǎn) specifically refers to asthma or wheezing.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person running up a steep hill, gasping for breath at the top. The sound of their breathing is like 'chuǎn', where the 'ch' sound echoes their struggle. The character itself has the mouth radical '口', symbolizing the act of breathing.

Usage Notes

When using 喘, be mindful of its connotation; it often implies a sense of urgency or distress. It is generally used in informal contexts and can collocate with words for physical activities or health issues, such as '喘不过气来' (to be out of breath). Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like '传' (to transmit).

HSK Study Tips

As this character is not specifically included in HSK levels, focus on its practical usage in describing physical conditions. It connects with other verbs related to breathing and health, such as '呼吸' (hūxī - to breathe), which students should also practice.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, breathing techniques are vital for health, and understanding the concept of 喘 is important for discussing respiratory issues. It reflects the cultural emphasis on holistic health and wellness.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 喘 with '传' (to transmit) due to similar sounds. For instance, saying '我喘电话' (I gasp a phone) instead of '我喘气' (I gasp). Correctly using '喘' in the context of breathing is essential.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 喘

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Etymology of 喘

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

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 耑 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

mouth

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 喘?

Decomposition of 喘

IDS Structure⿰口耑
喘Full Character
=
口kou3
left
耑duan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 喘?

Write 喘

喘

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

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Grammar Patterns of 喘

喘 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 4 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

对猫类过敏是哮____病发作最常见的诱因之一。

Allergy to cats is one of the commonest causes of asthma.

Example Sentences for 喘 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
对猫类过敏是哮喘病发作最常见的诱因之一。

duì māo lèi guò mǐn shì xiào chuǎn bìng fā zuò zuì cháng jiàn de yòu yīn zhī yī。

Allergy to cats is one of the commonest causes of asthma.
2
患有这种过敏症的人也经常会患有哮喘病。

huàn yǒu zhè zhǒng guò mǐn zhèng de rén yě jīng cháng huì huàn yǒu xiào chuǎn bìng。

Frequently sufferers of this kind of allergy are also sufferers of asthma.
3
滚滚浓烟盘旋翻腾，恶臭味呛得她喘不过气来。

gǔn gǔn nóng yān pán xuán fān téng， ， è chòu wèi qiāng dé tā chuǎn bù guò qì。

Dense smoke swirled and billowed, its rank fumes choking her.
4
她在那儿，跑得有点儿喘不过气来。

tā zài nà ér， ， pǎo dé yǒu diǎn ér chuǎn bù guò qì。

There she was, slightly out of breath from running.
5
动物和人在稀薄的空气中都大口喘着气。

dòng wù hé rén zài xī báo de kōng qì zhōng dū dà kǒu chuǎn zháo qì。

Both animals and people were gasping for breath in the rarefied air.
6
“孩子”，老波普·瑞安气喘吁吁地说。

“ “ hái”， zǐ ”， lǎo· bō pǔ · ruì ān qì chuǎn xū。

"Boy," wheezed old Pop Ryan.
7
“ 阿姨叫我不要跑, ” 他解释道, “ 因为我有气喘病. ”

“ “ ā yí jiào wǒ bù yào,” pǎo , ” tā jiě,“ shì dào , “ yīn wéi wǒ yǒu.”

" Auntie told me not to run, " he explained, " on account of my asthma. ”
8
他患有哮喘病，经不起高温和潮湿。

tā huàn yǒu xiào chuǎn bìng， ， jīng bù qǐ gāo wēn hé cháo。

As an asthmatic, he cannot cope with the heat and humidity.
9
她跑完比赛气喘吁吁的。

tā pǎo wán bǐ sài qì chuǎn xū xū de。

She finished the race panting heavily.
10
她倚靠在门上，大口喘着气。

tā yǐ kào zài mén shàng， ， dà kǒu chuǎn zháo。

Gasping for breath, she leaned against the door.

Cultural Notes for 喘

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, breathing techniques are vital for health, and understanding the concept of 喘 is important for discussing respiratory issues. It reflects the cultural emphasis on holistic health and wellness.

Word Family of 喘

Words Containing This Character15
喘chuǎnto gasp
哮喘asthma
喘气chuǎnqìto pant喘氣
喘息chuǎnxīto gasp for breath
气喘吁吁to pant氣喘吁吁
气喘asthma氣喘
苟延残喘to struggle on whilst at death's door (idiom)苟延殘喘
哮喘病asthma
气喘病asthma氣喘病
残喘last gasp殘喘
喘吁吁to puff and blow
气喘如牛to huff and puff氣喘如牛
喘振surge (of a compressor)
气喘喘breathless氣喘喘
喘嘘嘘to puff and blow喘噓噓
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 喘 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 喘

It is pronounced as 'chuǎn', with a falling-rising tone.