湛 meaning and stroke order
Calm, clear, deep (as of a lake)
How to write 湛, stroke by stroke
12 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 湛
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- deep
- clear (water)
How 湛 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A deep 甚 lake 氵; 甚 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 湛
Water 氵 on the left plus 甚 (shèn, very, extremely) on the right: water that is extremely deep and clear. 甚 also hints at the sound, since 湛 (zhàn) and 甚 share a similar ending.
湛 is mostly literary today. It describes clear, deep water or a calm, deep blue sky, and it often appears in set words. The most common one is 精湛 (jīngzhàn), which praises superb skill: 他的技艺很精湛。(Tā de jìyì hěn jīngzhàn.) His craftsmanship is superb.
Common mistake: Learners often read 湛 as shèn because of the 甚 component, but it is zhàn with a fourth tone. Do not confuse it with 堪 (kān, can bear), which has the earth radical 土 instead of water 氵.
Common words with 湛
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 精湛 | jīngzhàn | consummate; exquisite |
Questions about 湛
How many strokes are in 湛?
湛 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 湛 mean?
湛 (zhàn) means calm, clear, deep (as of a lake). A common word with it is 精湛 (jīngzhàn), meaning "consummate; exquisite".
How do you pronounce 湛?
湛 is pronounced zhàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 湛?
The radical of 湛 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 湛 under this radical.
What does 湛蓝 mean?
湛蓝 (zhànlán) means a deep, clear blue. It is often used for the sky or the sea, as in 湛蓝的天空 (zhànlán de tiānkōng), a deep blue sky.
Is 湛 used in names?
Yes. It appears in place names such as 湛江 (Zhànjiāng), a city in Guangdong, and it is also a surname and a given name character. In names it suggests clarity and depth.