瀾 meaning and stroke order
Overflowing; ripples, waves
How to write 瀾, stroke by stroke
20 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
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
Meaning of 瀾
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- swelling water
How 瀾 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 闌 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 瀾
瀾 (lán) is water 氵 on the left plus 闌 (lán) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture water swelling up and rolling past a gate 門 to remember big waves.
瀾 is a literary character and rarely appears alone. It usually shows up in set words like 波瀾 (bōlán), which can mean real waves or ups and downs in a story or life. Example: 他的一生波瀾壯闊。(Tā de yìshēng bōlán zhuàngkuò.) His life was full of grand ups and downs.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 瀾 with 欄 (lán, railing) and 蘭 (lán, orchid), since all three share the same sound. Check the left side. Water 氵 means waves, wood 木 means railing, and grass 艹 on top means orchid.
Common words with 瀾
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 波瀾 | bōlán | billows; great waves (fig. of a story with great momentum) | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 瀾
How many strokes are in 瀾?
瀾 is written with 20 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 瀾 mean?
瀾 (lán) means overflowing; ripples, waves. A common word with it is 波澜 (bōlán), meaning "billows; great waves (fig. of a story with great momentum)".
How do you pronounce 瀾?
瀾 is pronounced lán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 瀾?
The radical of 瀾 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 瀾 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 瀾?
瀾 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 澜, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 推波助瀾 mean?
推波助瀾 (tuī bō zhù lán) literally means pushing the waves and helping the billows along. It describes making a bad situation worse or stirring up trouble, and it is usually negative.
Can 瀾 be used in names?
Yes. Because it suggests wide, rolling water, 瀾 appears in given names and place names, such as 瀾滄江 (Láncāng Jiāng), the Chinese name for the upper Mekong River.