番 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) foreign (non-Chinese); barbarian; classifier for processes or actions that take time and effort; (classifier) a kind; a sort
How to write 番, 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 番
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) foreign (non-Chinese); barbarian
- classifier for processes or actions that take time and effort
- (classifier) a kind; a sort
- (classifier) (used after the verb 翻[fan1] to indicate how many times a quantity doubles, as in 翻一番[fan1 yi1 fan1] "to double")
How 番 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Sowing seeds 米 on the farm 田.
Radical: 田 (field), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 番
Picture seeds 米 being scattered over a field 田. Sowing happens again and again, season after season, which links to the ideas of a turn and of repeating.
Today 番 appears most often as a classifier for efforts or experiences that take time, as in 一番 (yīfān), and in words for foreign things such as 番茄 (fānqié, tomato). Example: 他经过一番努力，终于成功了。(Tā jīngguò yìfān nǔlì, zhōngyú chénggōng le.) After a lot of effort, he finally succeeded.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 番 (fān) with 翻 (fān, to turn over). In 翻番 (to double) both appear: 翻 is the verb and 番 is the counting word. 番 also looks like 香 (xiāng, fragrant), so check that the bottom part is 田, not 日.
Common words with 番
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
番 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 番
Learning 番 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 番
How many strokes are in 番?
番 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 番 mean?
番 (fān) means (bound form) foreign (non-Chinese); barbarian; classifier for processes or actions that take time and effort; (classifier) a kind; a sort. A common word with it is 一番 (yīfān), meaning "".
How do you pronounce 番?
番 is pronounced fān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 番?
The radical of 番 is 田, which carries the idea of "field". Dictionaries list 番 under this radical.
Is 番 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 番 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why does 番茄 mean tomato?
One sense of 番 is foreign or non-Chinese, and 茄 is eggplant. A 番茄 is literally a foreign eggplant, because the tomato was brought to China from abroad.
How is 一番 different from 一次?
一次 (yí cì) simply counts how many times something happens. 一番 (yìfān) suggests an action that takes time and effort, as in 一番努力 (yìfān nǔlì) or 一番话 (yìfān huà), and it sounds more literary.