How to Write 掺 (càn/chān) — Meaning “to mix; to blend; to adulterate”

Think of a hand (扌) adding three (three strokes in the top of 参) drops of water into a drink to blend them. The top part of 参 looks like three drops, reminding you that 掺 is about mixing or diluting with liquid.

Pay attention to the right side 参: the top has three strokes (撇,捺,撇) that should be written compactly, not spread out. A common mistake is making the bottom part (彡) too wide or forgetting to align the left radical 扌 with the center of 参.

拜 (bài, to bow) uses the radical 扌 as well but has two hands on the left and right, showing a bowing gesture, while 掺 means mixing. 括 (kuò, to include) has a different right side (舌, tongue) and means to wrap or contain, not to blend.

掺 is commonly used in everyday contexts like 掺水 (add water to dilute) or 掺假 (mix in fake materials, like adding cheap ingredients to food). It often carries a negative connotation when referring to adulteration, so using it for honest mixing is rare.

Common words containing 掺 include: 掺水 (càn shuǐ) — to dilute with water; to add water; 掺假 (càn jiǎ) — to adulterate; to fake; to mix in fake materials; 掺和 (chān huo) — to mix; to meddle.