How to Write 贪 (tān) — Meaning “Greedy / To covet”

Imagine a person saying "Today (今) I want money (贝)!" — this selfish wish shows greed. This image helps you link the two parts to the meaning of being greedy.

Write the top part 今 first: it is narrow and starts with a left-falling stroke, then a right-falling stroke, followed by a horizontal fold and a final dot. Then write 贝 underneath, making it slightly wider than the top. A common mistake is making the top too wide or forgetting the dot inside 今.

The top of 贪 is 今 (like the word for 'today'), while 贞 has a 卜 (divination symbol) on top and 负 has a 刀 (knife) on top. In meaning, 贪 means 'greedy', 贞 means 'chaste' or 'pure', and 负 means 'to carry' or 'negative'.

贪 appears in common words like 贪吃 (gluttonous) and 贪心 (greedy). In Chinese culture, greed is seen as a negative trait, and the phrase 贪官 (corrupt official) is often used to criticize dishonest leaders.

Common words containing 贪 include: 贪吃 (tān chī) — Gluttonous / Greedy for food; 贪玩 (tān wán) — Playful / Fond of play to the neglect of work; 贪心 (tān xīn) — Greedy / Greed.