攔 meaning and stroke order
To block, to hinder, to obstruct
How to write 攔, stroke by stroke
20 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 攔
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to block sb's path
- to obstruct
- to flag down (a taxi)
How 攔 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 闌 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 攔
A hand 扌 reaching out in front of a gate 闌 (lán) to stop someone from passing. The hand gives the meaning of action, and 闌 gives the sound lán.
攔 (lán) means to physically or figuratively block someone's way, and it often appears in words like 攔住 (lánzhù) and 阻攔 (zǔlán). It is also the everyday verb for flagging down a taxi. Example: 我在路邊攔了一輛計程車。(Wǒ zài lùbiān lánle yí liàng jìchéngchē.) I flagged down a taxi by the roadside.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 攔 (lán) with 欄 (lán, railing) and 蘭 (lán, orchid), which share the same sound and similar right side. Only 攔 has the hand radical 扌, because blocking is something you do with your hands.
Common words with 攔
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 攔
How many strokes are in 攔?
攔 is written with 20 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 攔 mean?
攔 (lán) means to block, to hinder, to obstruct. A common word with it is 阻拦 (zǔlán), meaning "to stop; to obstruct".
How do you pronounce 攔?
攔 is pronounced lán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 攔?
The radical of 攔 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 攔 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 攔?
攔 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 拦, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do you say "flag down a taxi" in Chinese using 攔?
You can say 攔車 (lán chē) or 攔計程車 (lán jìchéngchē). In mainland China, 攔出租車 (lán chūzūchē) or the simplified spelling 拦车 is common.
What is the difference between 攔住 and 擋住?
攔住 (lánzhù) means to stop someone or something on purpose, like stopping a person from leaving. 擋住 (dǎngzhù) more often means something is in the way or blocking a view, such as a wall blocking the light.