How to Write 摊 (tān) — Meaning “to spread out; a vendor's stall”

Imagine using your hand (扌) to spread out a difficult (难) pile of papers on a table. The visual of your hand smoothing out a messy, difficult task helps you remember both the action and the components. This connects the hand radical to the idea of spreading out.

Write the hand radical 扌 first with the correct stroke order: horizontal, vertical hook, then lift. The right side 难 must be balanced, especially the left part 又 and the right part 隹 — make sure the vertical line in 隹 is straight. A common mistake is making the right side too wide or mixing up the strokes of 难.

摊 uses the hand radical and means to spread out or a vendor’s stall, while 挲 (suō) uses the hand radical with a different right side and means to stroke or rub. 捧 (pěng) also has 扌 but means to hold in both hands, and its right side is 奉. These characters have different meanings and pronunciations, so focus on the right side clues.

摊 appears in common words like 摊位 (booth) and 地摊 (street stall), which are very common in Chinese markets and night fairs. The verb 摊开 means to spread out documents or goods. Street stalls (地摊) are a traditional part of Chinese street life, especially in night markets and local fairs.

Common words containing 摊 include: 摊位 (tān wèi) — booth; stall; 地摊 (dì tān) — Street stall; roadside stand; 摊开 (tān kāi) — to spread out; to unfold.