斂 meaning and stroke order
To collect, to extort
How to write 斂, stroke by stroke
17 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 斂
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (literary) to hold back
- (literary) to restrain; to control (oneself)
- to collect; to gather
- Taiwan pr. [lian4]
- variant of 殮|殓[lian4]
How 斂 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Strike.
攵 gives the meaning and 僉 hints at the sound.
Radical: 攵 (to rap), shared by 36 characters on this site.
How to remember 斂
斂 is built from 僉, which gives the sound, and 攵 (a hand holding a stick, meaning strike). Picture someone with a stick gathering everyone together and keeping them in line, so the character means to collect and to restrain.
斂 is mostly literary on its own and is usually met inside compounds like 收斂 (shōuliǎn), meaning to hold back or to tone down one's behavior. In simplified Chinese it is written 敛. Example: 他最近收斂了很多。(Tā zuìjìn shōuliǎn le hěn duō.) He has toned himself down a lot lately.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 斂 (liǎn) with 臉/脸 (liǎn, face) because they share the same sound and tone. They also confuse it with 檢 (jiǎn, to inspect) and 險 (xiǎn, danger), which share the 僉 part but have a different radical on the left.
Common words with 斂
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 收斂 | shōuliǎn | to dwindle; to vanish; to make vanish; to exercise restraint; to curb (one's mirth, arroga | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 斂
How many strokes are in 斂?
斂 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 斂 mean?
斂 (liǎn) means to collect, to extort. A common word with it is 收敛 (shōuliǎn), meaning "to dwindle; to vanish; to make vanish; to exercise restraint; to curb (one's mirth, arroga".
How do you pronounce 斂?
斂 is pronounced liǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 斂?
The radical of 斂 is 攵, which carries the idea of "to rap". Dictionaries list 斂 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 斂?
斂 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 敛, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 斂 pronounced liǎn or liàn?
In mainland standard Mandarin the usual reading is liǎn, as in 收斂 (shōuliǎn). In Taiwan it is often said liàn. The reading liàn is also used when 斂 stands in for 殮 (to put a body in a coffin).
What does 斂財 mean and is it negative?
斂財 (liǎncái) means to amass money, usually by improper means such as extortion or squeezing people. It is a negative word, so it fits the dictionary sense to collect or to extort.