撼 meaning and stroke order
To incite, to move, to shake
How to write 撼, stroke by stroke
16 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 撼
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to shake
- to vibrate
How 撼 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 感 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 撼
撼 combines the hand radical 扌 with 感 (gǎn, to feel), which also gives the sound. Picture a hand shaking something so hard that everyone can feel it.
撼 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It mostly appears in words like 震撼 (zhènhàn) and 撼动 (hàndòng), often for strong emotional impact or shaking something firm. Example: 这部电影很震撼。(Zhè bù diànyǐng hěn zhènhàn.) This movie is really stunning.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 撼 (hàn) with 憾 (hàn) in 遗憾 (yíhàn, regret), which has the heart radical 忄 instead of the hand 扌. Remember that shaking is done with the hand, while regret is felt in the heart.
Common words with 撼
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 震撼 | zhènhàn | to shake; to shock | HSK 7-9 |
| 撼动 | hàndòng | to shake up; to deal a shock |
撼 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 撼
How many strokes are in 撼?
撼 is written with 16 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 撼 mean?
撼 (hàn) means to incite, to move, to shake. A common word with it is 震撼 (zhènhàn), meaning "to shake; to shock".
How do you pronounce 撼?
撼 is pronounced hàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 撼?
The radical of 撼 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 撼 under this radical.
Is 撼 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 撼 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can 震撼 be used as an adjective?
Yes. In everyday speech 震撼 often works like an adjective meaning stunning or overwhelming, as in 很震撼 (hěn zhènhàn). It can also be a verb, as in 震撼人心 (zhènhàn rénxīn), to stir people's hearts.
Is there a common idiom with 撼?
A well-known one is 蚍蜉撼树 (pífú hàn shù), an ant trying to shake a tree. It describes someone overestimating their own strength.