玷 meaning and stroke order
Character flaw; a flaw in a gem
How to write 玷, stroke by stroke
9 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
Meaning of 玷
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- blemish
- disgrace
- flaw in jade
How 玷 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Jade.
王 gives the meaning and 占 hints at the sound.
Radical: 王 (king), shared by 104 characters on this site.
How to remember 玷
The left side 王 is the jade radical, and 占 (zhàn) gives the sound. Picture a spot that has taken over (占) part of a piece of jade, leaving a flaw.
玷 is rarely used alone in modern Chinese. It appears mostly in the word 玷污 (diànwū), which means to stain or sully, often someone's name or honor. Example: 他玷污了家族的名声。(Tā diànwū le jiāzú de míngshēng.) He sullied the family's reputation.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 玷 with 沾 (zhān, to touch or be stained with), because both share 占 and relate to stains. Remember that 玷 has the jade radical and the fourth tone diàn, while 沾 has the water radical and the first tone.
Common words with 玷
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 玷污 | diànwū | to stain; to sully |
玷 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 玷
How many strokes are in 玷?
玷 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 玷 mean?
玷 (diàn) means character flaw; a flaw in a gem. A common word with it is 玷污 (diànwū), meaning "to stain; to sully".
How do you pronounce 玷?
玷 is pronounced diàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 玷?
The radical of 玷 is 王, which carries the idea of "king". Dictionaries list 玷 under this radical.
Is 玷污 used for physical dirt?
It can describe physical staining, but it is usually figurative and fairly formal. It is used for damaging reputation, honor, or purity. For ordinary dirty clothes, people say 弄脏 (nòng zāng).
Why is it pronounced diàn and not zhàn like 占?
The phonetic part only hints at the sound, and pronunciations have shifted over time. Other characters with 占, such as 店 (diàn) and 点 (diǎn), also use the d sound, which can help you remember.