汉 meaning and stroke order
Chinese people; Chinese language
How to write 汉, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 汉
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- man
How 汉 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Simplified form of 漢; the Han 𦰩 river 氵.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 汉
汉 has the water radical 氵 on the left, pointing to the Han River, and 又 on the right as a simplified stand-in for the more complex part of the traditional form. Picture the Han River flowing beside the people who took their name from it: the Han Chinese.
汉 appears in words about Chinese language and culture, like 汉字 (Hànzì) and 汉语 (Hànyǔ). It can also mean "man" or "guy" in words like 男子汉 (nánzǐhàn) and 流浪汉 (liúlànghàn). Example: 我在学汉语。(Wǒ zài xué Hànyǔ.) I am studying Chinese.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 汉 as 汊 (chà), which has an extra dot inside 叉 on the right. Also keep the tone a falling fourth tone, hàn, not hán.
Common words with 汉
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 汉字 | Hànzì | Chinese character(s) | HSK 1 |
| 汉语 | Hànyǔ | Chinese language | HSK 1 |
| 老汉 | lǎohàn | old man; I (an old man referring to himself) | HSK 7-9 |
| 汉堡 | Hànbǎo | (loanword) hamburger | |
| 流浪汉 | liúlànghàn | tramp; wanderer | |
| 男子汉 | nánzǐhàn | man (i.e. manly, masculine) | |
| 硬汉 | yìnghàn | man of steel; unyielding, tough guy | |
| 汉堡包 | hànbǎobāo | (loanword) hamburger | |
| 汉子 | hànzi | man; fellow | |
| 单身汉 | dānshēnhàn | bachelor; single man | |
| 好汉 | hǎohàn | hero; strong and courageous person | |
| 醉汉 | zuìhàn | intoxicated man; drunkard | |
| 汉奸 | hànjiān | traitor (to China) | |
| 罗汉 | luóhàn | (Buddhism) arhat (abbr. for 阿羅漢|阿罗汉[a1 luo2 han4]) |
汉 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 汉
How many strokes are in 汉?
汉 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 汉 mean?
汉 (hàn) means Chinese people; Chinese language. A common word with it is 汉字 (Hànzì), meaning "Chinese character(s)".
How do you pronounce 汉?
汉 is pronounced hàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 汉?
The radical of 汉 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 汉 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 汉?
The traditional form of 汉 is 漢. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 汉 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 汉 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 汉 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 汉语 and 中文?
Both mean the Chinese language. 汉语 (Hànyǔ) is common in textbooks and for spoken language, while 中文 (Zhōngwén) is often used for the written language and in everyday speech, such as 你会说中文吗?
Why does 汉堡 mean hamburger?
汉堡 (Hànbǎo) is a loanword that imitates the sound of Hamburg, so 汉 here is used for its sound, not its meaning. The fuller form is 汉堡包 (hànbǎobāo), with 包 meaning a bun.