歎 meaning and stroke order
To sigh; to admire
How to write 歎, stroke by stroke
15 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 歎
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- variant of 嘆|叹[tan4]
How 歎 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Yawn.
欠 gives the meaning and 堇 hints at the sound.
Radical: 欠 (to lack), shared by 28 characters on this site.
How to remember 歎
The right side 欠 (qiàn) shows a person with an open mouth, like a yawn, so it hints at breath coming out. Add 堇 on the left as the sound part, and you get 歎 (tàn), a long breath out when you sigh or admire something.
歎 is a variant form of 嘆, and in mainland simplified Chinese both are written 叹 (tàn). You will mostly see 歎 in older texts, classical writing, or some traditional-character materials, in words like 歎氣 (tànqì, to sigh) and 讚歎 (zàntàn, to praise). Example: 他歎了一口氣。(Tā tàn le yì kǒu qì.) He let out a sigh.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up the left side 堇 with 革 or 黃 because the strokes look crowded, so look carefully at the shape. Also, do not read it with the tone of 談 (tán, to talk). 歎 is fourth tone, tàn.
Questions about 歎
How many strokes are in 歎?
歎 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 歎 mean?
歎 (tàn) means to sigh; to admire.
How do you pronounce 歎?
歎 is pronounced tàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 歎?
The radical of 歎 is 欠, which carries the idea of "to lack". Dictionaries list 歎 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 歎?
歎 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 叹, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Should I write 歎, 嘆, or 叹?
In mainland China and most modern learning materials, write 叹. In Taiwan and Hong Kong, 嘆 is the more common standard form. 歎 is an accepted variant you should recognize when reading but rarely need to write.
Does 歎 mean sad sighing or admiring?
It can mean both, depending on the word. 歎氣 (tànqì) is usually a sigh of worry or disappointment, while 讚歎 (zàntàn) and 驚歎 (jīngtàn) express admiration or amazement.