Hanzi Writer

How to Write 碗 (wǎn) — Meaning “Bowl”

wǎn HSK Level 2 13 strokes Radical: 石

碗 (wǎn) means "Bowl" in Chinese. It has 13 strokes with the radical 石, and is HSK Level 2.

Rated 3.7/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 88% of HSK Level 2 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 饭碗 (fàn wǎn), 洗碗 (xǐ wǎn), 一碗面 (yī wǎn miàn).

Due to its 13 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 碗 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Stroke order practice for 碗 - wǎn

Practice Writing 碗 (wǎn)

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How to Write 碗

The character 碗 (wǎn) is written with 13 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 石 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 wǎn (碗) Mean in Chinese?

碗 means Bowl.

As an HSK Level 2 character, 碗 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Character Data

Character碗
Pinyinwǎn (wan)
MeaningBowl
Strokes13
Radical石
HSK Level2
Difficulty3.7/5

Origin of 碗

碗 combines the radical 石 (stone) with the phonetic component 宛 (wǎn), which hints at a curved or hollow shape. Ancient bowls were often carved from stone or made of pottery, so the radical indicates the material while 宛 suggests the vessel's concave form.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a stone (石) bowl with a snake (like 宛's lower part 夗) coiled inside, curving to fit the bowl's round shape.

Common Words with 碗

饭碗 fàn wǎn
rice bowl; livelihood
洗碗 xǐ wǎn
To wash dishes.
一碗面 yī wǎn miàn
a bowl of noodles

Example Sentences

我买了一个新饭碗。

wǒ mǎi le yí gè xīn fàn wǎn

I bought a new rice bowl.

晚饭后我负责洗碗。

wǎn fàn hòu wǒ fù zé xǐ wǎn

I am responsible for washing the dishes after dinner.

我想吃一碗面。

wǒ xiǎng chī yī wǎn miàn

I want to eat a bowl of noodles.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character Pinyin Strokes Radical
碗 (current) wǎn 13 石
砦 zhài 11 石
硅 guī 11 石
硇 náo 11 石
Stroke order practice for 碗 - wǎn

Practice Writing 碗 (wǎn)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 碗

The left side is the radical 石 (stone), which suggests the material of a traditional bowl — originally made from stone or ceramic. The right side is 宛, which provides the pronunciation wǎn and also hints at the curved shape of a bowl.

More HSK Level 2 Characters

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Characters with Radical 石

石shí矶jī矸gān矻kū矽xì矾fán矿kuàng砀dàng码mǎ砂shā

Other 13-Stroke Characters

䧹yīng亶dǎn催cuī傺chì傻shǎ傿yàn像xiàng剽piāo剿jiǎo勤qín