串 meaning and stroke order
To string together; to skewer; to connect wrongly
How to write 串, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Meaning of 串
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to string together
- to skewer
- to connect wrongly
- to gang up
- to rove
- string
How 串 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two objects 口 strung 丨 together.
Radical: 丨 (number one), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 串
Picture two objects 口 stacked on top of each other with one stick 丨 pushed straight through both. That is a skewer, so 串 (chuàn) means things strung together.
串 is a measure word for things on a string, like keys, grapes, or skewers, and it also appears in verbs like 串门 (chuànmén, to drop in on someone) and 串通 (chuàntōng, to collude). Example: 我买了一串葡萄。(Wǒ mǎi le yí chuàn pútáo.) I bought a bunch of grapes.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the vertical stroke 丨 only through the top 口. It must go all the way through both boxes. Also keep the fourth tone: chuàn, not chuān as in 穿 (to wear).
Common words with 串
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
串 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 串
Learning 串 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 串
How many strokes are in 串?
串 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 串 mean?
串 (chuàn) means to string together; to skewer; to connect wrongly. A common word with it is 一连串 (yīliánchuàn), meaning "a succession of; a series of".
How do you pronounce 串?
串 is pronounced chuàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 串?
The radical of 串 is 丨, which carries the idea of "number one". Dictionaries list 串 under this radical.
Is 串 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 串 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Why are lamb skewers called 羊肉串 (yángròuchuàn)?
串 describes pieces threaded onto a stick, so 羊肉串 is literally a string of lamb meat. You will see 串 on menus for all kinds of grilled skewers, often shortened to 撸串 (lū chuàn) when talking casually about eating skewers.
What does 串 mean when talking about phone lines or TV signals?
串 can mean to connect wrongly or get mixed up, as in 串线 (chuànxiàn), crossed lines. A related use is 串味 (chuànwèi), when foods pick up each other's smells in the fridge.