潭 meaning and stroke order
Deep pool, lake; deep, profound
How to write 潭, 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 潭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- deep pool
- pond
- pit (dialect)
- depression
How 潭 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 覃 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 潭
潭 (tán) combines the water radical 氵 with 覃 (tán), which gives the sound. Picture water gathered deep and still, a pool that sounds just like its phonetic part.
潭 usually appears in place names and fixed words rather than alone in speech. It describes a deep pool, often in mountains or below a waterfall, and it also shows up in figurative words like 泥潭 (nítán), a quagmire. Example: 他陷入了泥潭。(Tā xiànrù le nítán.) He got stuck in a quagmire.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 潭 (tán) with 谭 (tán), a common surname that uses the speech radical 讠 instead of water. Remember that only the water version means a pool.
Common words with 潭
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 泥潭 | nítán | quagmire | HSK 7-9 |
潭 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 潭
How many strokes are in 潭?
潭 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 潭 mean?
潭 (tán) means deep pool, lake; deep, profound. A common word with it is 泥潭 (nítán), meaning "quagmire".
How do you pronounce 潭?
潭 is pronounced tán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 潭?
The radical of 潭 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 潭 under this radical.
Is 潭 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 潭 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 潭 and 池?
池 (chí) is a general word for a pond or pool, including man-made ones like 游泳池 (yóuyǒngchí), a swimming pool. 潭 stresses depth and is usually natural, like a pool at the foot of a waterfall.
Where might I see 潭 in everyday life?
You will often see it in place names, such as 日月潭 (Rìyuè Tán), Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan. It also appears in the idiom-like word 龙潭虎穴 (lóngtán hǔxué), meaning a very dangerous place.