Question 1

What are the structural components of 羼 and how do they relate to its meaning?

Accepted Answer

The character 羼 is composed of the radical 尸 (corpse) and the phonetic component 孱 (chán, meaning weak or frail). The radical 尸 gives a general sense of covering or enclosure, while 孱 contributes the idea of weakness, together suggesting blending inferior materials into something else, like diluting wine with water.

Question 2

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 羼?

Accepted Answer

Imagine a 'corpse' (尸) lying down, and next to it, a person (孱) who is weak and trying to mix water into a drink. The visual of a weak person secretly adding water to a bottle can help you recall that 羼 means to mix or dilute with inferior materials.

Question 3

What should I watch out for when writing the character 羼?

Accepted Answer

羼 has 21 strokes, so write the radical 尸 first with its three strokes, then carefully write the complex 孱 part on the left side. The bottom of 孱 has two 子 characters stacked, which can be crowded; keep strokes even and compact to avoid making the character too wide.

Question 4

What are common words that use 羼 and how are they used?

Accepted Answer

羼水 (chàn shuǐ) means to dilute with water, often used when someone adds water to wine or milk to cheat. 羼杂 (chàn zá) means to mix or mingle, used for blending different items, especially when one is inferior. 羼入 (chàn rù) means to mix into, like adding something foreign into a pure substance.

Question 5

When is the character 羼 used in modern Chinese, and are there any cultural notes?

Accepted Answer

羼 is quite rare in daily conversation and appears mostly in written Chinese about adulteration or dishonest blending, such as in news reports about fake products. It carries a negative connotation of impurity and deceit, unlike neutral mixing words like 混合.

Question 6

What common words use 羼?

Accepted Answer

Common words containing 羼 include: 羼水 (chàn shuǐ) — to dilute with water; 羼杂 (chàn zá) — to mix or mingle; 羼入 (chàn rù) — to mix in or blend into.

Character	羼
Pinyin	chàn (chan)
Meaning	to mix or blend (often with inferior materials)
Strokes	21
Radical	尸
Difficulty	3.5/5

How to Write 羼 (chàn) — Meaning “to mix or blend (often with inferior materials)”

Practice Writing 羼 (chàn)

How to Write 羼

What Does chàn (羼) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 羼

Common Words with 羼

Example Sentences

Practice Writing 羼 (chàn)

Frequently Asked Questions about 羼

Characters with Radical 尸

Other 21-Stroke Characters