檀 meaning and stroke order
Sandalwood, hardwood; surname
How to write 檀, 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 檀
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- sandalwood
- hardwood
- purple-red
How 檀 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Tree.
木 gives the meaning and 亶 hints at the sound.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 檀
檀 is a tree 木 on the left with 亶 (dǎn) on the right giving the sound. Think of a precious tree whose wood smells sweet: sandalwood.
檀 appears mostly in compounds like 檀香 (tánxiāng, sandalwood incense) and 紫檀 (zǐtán, red sandalwood, a prized furniture wood). It is also a surname. Example: 寺里点着檀香。(Sì lǐ diǎnzhe tánxiāng.) Sandalwood incense is burning in the temple.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 檀 with 坛 (tán, altar or jar) because they share the same pinyin. Remember that 檀 has the tree radical 木 because it is a kind of wood.
Questions about 檀
How many strokes are in 檀?
檀 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 檀 mean?
檀 (tán) means sandalwood, hardwood; surname.
How do you pronounce 檀?
檀 is pronounced tán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 檀?
The radical of 檀 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 檀 under this radical.
What does 檀香 mean?
檀香 (tánxiāng) means sandalwood or sandalwood incense. It is common in temples, perfumes, and traditional crafts.
What is 檀木 used for?
檀木 (tánmù) refers to sandalwood or similar fine hardwoods. It is valued for carving, fans, beads, and classical furniture.