滥 meaning and stroke order
To flood, to overflow; excessive
How to write 滥, stroke by stroke
13 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 滥
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- overflowing
- excessive
- indiscriminate
How 滥 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 监 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 滥
滥 combines water 氵 with 监 (jiān), which gives the sound. Picture water spilling over the sides of a container until there is far too much, and you get the idea of overflowing and excess.
滥 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It appears in words that describe flooding or doing something too much and without control, like 滥用 (lànyòng) and 泛滥 (fànlàn). Example: 不要滥用药物。(Bú yào lànyòng yàowù.) Don't misuse medicine.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 滥 (làn) with 烂 (làn, rotten), since they share the same sound and tone. Remember that 滥 has water 氵 for flooding and excess, while 烂 has fire 火 for things that are rotten or overcooked.
Common words with 滥
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 滥用 | lànyòng | to misuse; to abuse | HSK 7-9 |
| 泛滥 | fànlàn | to overflow; to inundate; to flood; (fig.) to proliferate unchecked | HSK 7-9 |
| 陈词滥调 | chéncílàndiào | cliché; commonplace | |
| 下三滥 | xiàsānlàn | riffraff; scum | |
| 滥杀无辜 | lànshāwúgū | willfully slaughter the innocent (idiom) | |
| 滥交 | lànjiāo | to fall into bad company; to make acquaintances indiscriminately |
滥 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 滥
How many strokes are in 滥?
滥 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 滥 mean?
滥 (làn) means to flood, to overflow; excessive. A common word with it is 滥用 (lànyòng), meaning "to misuse; to abuse".
How do you pronounce 滥?
滥 is pronounced làn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 滥?
The radical of 滥 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 滥 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 滥?
The traditional form of 滥 is 濫. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 滥 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 滥 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 滥 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Does 滥 always have a negative meaning?
Almost always. It suggests doing something too much, carelessly, or without limits, as in 滥杀无辜 (lànshā wúgū) or 滥交 (lànjiāo). It is not used to praise abundance.
What does 陈词滥调 mean and when is it used?
陈词滥调 (chéncí làndiào) means stale words and overused tunes, so it refers to a cliché. People use it to criticize speeches or writing that only repeat tired, empty phrases.