檻 meaning and stroke order
Threshold, door frame
How to write 檻, stroke by stroke
18 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 檻
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- banister
- balustrade
- cage for animal or prisoner
- to transport caged prisoner on a cart
- door sill
- threshold
How 檻 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Wood.
木 gives the meaning and 監 hints at the sound.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 檻
檻 combines 木 (wood) with 監 (jiān), which gives the sound. Picture a wooden bar at the bottom of a door or the wooden bars of a cage, both made of 木.
Read kǎn, 檻 means a door sill and appears mostly in 門檻 (ménkǎn), which is also used figuratively for an entry requirement or bar to clear. Example: 這份工作的門檻很高。(Zhè fèn gōngzuò de ménkǎn hěn gāo.) The entry requirements for this job are high.
Common mistake: Learners often read 檻 as jiān because of the phonetic 監, but the common word 門檻 is ménkǎn. The reading jiàn is only used for the senses of railing or cage, as in literary words.
Common words with 檻
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 門檻 | ménkǎn | doorstep; sill | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 檻
How many strokes are in 檻?
檻 is written with 18 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 檻 mean?
檻 (kǎn) means threshold, door frame. A common word with it is 门槛 (ménkǎn), meaning "doorstep; sill".
How do you pronounce 檻?
檻 is pronounced kǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 檻?
The radical of 檻 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 檻 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 檻?
檻 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 槛, used in mainland China and Singapore.
When is 檻 pronounced jiàn instead of kǎn?
Use jiàn for the senses of banister, balustrade, or a cage for animals or prisoners. Use kǎn for door sill or threshold, which is the everyday meaning.
Can 門檻 mean something other than a physical doorstep?
Yes. 門檻 is very often used to mean a threshold or minimum requirement, such as the standard needed to enter a school, job, or market.