How to Write 缆 (lǎn) — Meaning “cable / thick rope”

Imagine riding in a cable car (缆车) and looking out at the scenery — the right part 览 means "to look" or "view." The left side 纟 reminds you that the car hangs on thick ropes. So you can remember: "silk thread + looking = cable car view."

The left radical 纟 is written first with three strokes; make sure the middle curl does not become too large. On the right side, 览 has a top part that resembles 䜌 but simplified; keep the strokes compact and balanced. A common mistake is stretching the right side too wide, making the character look uneven.

缆 (lǎn) means a thick cable or rope used for equipment like cable cars or electrical wires. 绠 (gěng) is an older word for a well rope or a thick cord, rarely used today. 绡 (xiāo) refers to a thin, raw silk fabric, totally different in material and use.

缆 appears in modern vocabulary for technical items like 电缆 (electrical cable) and 光缆 (fiber optic cable). It is also common in tourism for 缆车 (cable car or gondola), which you can find in many mountain scenic spots in China. Though not in the HSK list, it is still useful for reading signs and technical documents.

Common words containing 缆 include: 缆车 (lǎn chē) — cable car / gondola; 电缆 (diàn lǎn) — cable; 光缆 (guāng lǎn) — optical cable, fiber optic cable.