卵 meaning and stroke order
Egg; ovum; spawn; (coll.) testicles; (old) penis
How to write 卵, 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.
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Meaning of 卵
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- egg; ovum; spawn
- (coll.) testicles
- (old) penis
- (expletive) fucking
How 卵 is built
Pictographic character. Two ovaries containing eggs.
Radical: 卩 (seal), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 卵
卵 (luǎn) is a picture of two ovaries side by side, each with a dot inside for an egg. Look at the two halves and the two dots, and think of two little eggs waiting inside.
卵 is a formal or scientific word for egg, used in biology for ova, fish roe, and insect or reptile eggs. For eggs you eat, people say 蛋 (dàn) or 鸡蛋 (jīdàn) instead. Example: 鱼在春天产卵。(Yú zài chūntiān chǎnluǎn.) Fish lay eggs in spring.
Common mistake: Learners often write 卵 like 卯 (mǎo) and forget the two dots inside, but those dots are what make it 卵. Also avoid using 卵 for breakfast eggs, since 我吃了一个卵 sounds odd and can even sound crude.
Common words with 卵
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 卵子 | luǎnzǐ | ovum | |
| 产卵 | chǎnluǎn | to lay eggs | |
| 卵蛋 | luǎndàn | (coll.) testicle; balls | |
| 卵巢 | luǎncháo | ovary |
卵 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 卵
Learning 卵 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 卵
How many strokes are in 卵?
卵 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 卵 mean?
卵 (luǎn) means egg; ovum; spawn; (coll.) testicles; (old) penis. A common word with it is 卵子 (luǎnzǐ), meaning "ovum".
How do you pronounce 卵?
卵 is pronounced luǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 卵?
The radical of 卵 is 卩, which carries the idea of "seal". Dictionaries list 卵 under this radical.
Is 卵 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 卵 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 卵 and 蛋?
蛋 (dàn) is the everyday word for eggs, especially ones you cook, like 鸡蛋. 卵 (luǎn) is technical and appears in biology words like 卵子 (ovum) and 卵巢 (ovary).
Is 卵 ever rude?
Yes. In colloquial speech and some dialects, 卵 or 卵蛋 can mean testicles, and 卵 can work as a vulgar expletive. In textbooks and science writing it is neutral, so context decides.