How to Write 旱 (hàn) — Meaning “drought; dry”

Q: What is a good memory technique to remember 旱?

Picture the sun (日) beating down so hard that it turns the ground as dry as a bone (干). The image of a hot sun above a parched land helps recall the meaning of drought.

Q: What should I watch out for when writing 旱?

Keep the top 日 narrow and the bottom 干 slightly wider, with its horizontal stroke longer than the sun's bottom line. A common mistake is making 日 too wide, which ruins the balance.

Q: How can I distinguish 旱 from similar characters like 旦 and 旧?

旱 has 日 above 干, while 旦 (dawn) has 日 above a horizontal line (horizon), and 旧 (old) has a vertical stroke on the left of 日. Visually, 旱's bottom is a cross, not a line or a left stroke.

Q: When and how is 旱 used in modern Chinese?

旱 appears in common words like 干旱 (drought) and 旱灾 (drought disaster), used in weather reports and farming discussions. It is not in the basic HSK list but is important for understanding climate and agriculture in Chinese culture.

Q: What common words use 旱?

Common words containing 旱 include: 干旱 (gān hàn) — drought / arid; 旱灾 (hàn zāi) — drought disaster; 旱地 (hàn dì) — dry land; non-irrigated land.

hàn HSK Level 7 7 strokes Radical: 日

旱 (hàn) means "drought; dry" in Chinese. It has 7 strokes with the radical 日, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 3.5/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 18% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 干旱 (gān hàn), 旱灾 (hàn zāi), 旱地 (hàn dì).

Due to its 7 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 旱 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 旱 (hàn)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 旱 with real-time feedback.

App Store ▶ Google Play

How to Write 旱

The character 旱 (hàn) is written with 7 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 日 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does hàn (旱) Mean in Chinese?

旱 means drought; dry.

As an HSK Level 7 character, 旱 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	旱
Pinyin	hàn (han)
Meaning	drought; dry
Strokes	7
Radical	日
HSK Level	7
Difficulty	3.5/5

Origin of 旱

旱 combines the sun (日) above and 干 (a pole or shield, also meaning 'dry') beneath, suggesting the sun's heat drying out the land. The character thus visually depicts the sun causing drought, with 干 reinforcing the sense of aridity.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture the blazing sun (日) scorching a dry, cracked field, with a withered stick (干) standing in the dust.

Common Words with 旱

干旱 gān hàn

drought / arid

旱灾 hàn zāi

drought disaster

旱地 hàn dì

dry land; non-irrigated land

Example Sentences

这里的天气很干旱。

zhè lǐ de tiān qì hěn gān hàn

The weather here is very dry.

去年发生了旱灾。

qù nián fā shēng le hàn zāi

A drought occurred last year.

农民在旱地种菜。

nóng mín zài hàn dì zhòng cài

Farmers are growing vegetables in dry land.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
旱 (current)	hàn	7	日
旦	dàn	5	日
旧	jiù	5	日
旨	zhǐ	6	日

Practice Writing 旱 (hàn)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 旱 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 旱

How is the character 旱 structured, and how do its components relate to its meaning?

旱 is made of 日 (sun) on top and 干 (dry) below. The sun represents heat, and 干 means dry, so together they convey the idea of drought or dry conditions.

What is a good memory technique to remember 旱?

What should I watch out for when writing 旱?

How can I distinguish 旱 from similar characters like 旦 and 旧?

When and how is 旱 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 旱?

How to Write 旱 (hàn) — Meaning “drought; dry”

Practice Writing 旱 (hàn)

How to Write 旱

What Does hàn (旱) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 旱

Common Words with 旱

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 旱 (hàn)

Frequently Asked Questions about 旱

More HSK Level 7 Characters

Characters with Radical 日

Other 7-Stroke Characters