端 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) tip; end; extremity; (bound form) aspect; facet; (bound form) upright; proper
How to write 端, stroke by stroke
14 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 端
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) tip; end; extremity
- (bound form) aspect; facet
- (bound form) upright; proper
- to hold sth level with both hands; to carry
- to eliminate; to wipe out
- old variant of 端[duan1]
How 端 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Stand.
立 gives the meaning and 耑 hints at the sound.
Radical: 立 (to stand), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 端
端 combines 立 (lì, stand) on the left, which hints at the meaning, with 耑 (duān) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture someone standing up straight and tall, so 端 suggests being upright and also the top end of something.
端 appears mostly in compounds, such as 极端 (jíduān, extreme), 开端 (kāiduān, beginning), and 端正 (duānzhèng, upright). On its own it is a common verb meaning to carry something level with both hands, like a dish or a bowl. 他端来一碗汤。(Tā duān lái yì wǎn tāng.) He brought over a bowl of soup.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 端 (duān) with 瑞 (ruì, auspicious) because both have the same 耑 part on the right. Check the left side: 端 has 立 (stand), while 瑞 has 王 (jade).
Common words with 端
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 极端 | jíduān | extreme | HSK 6 |
| 端午节 | Duānwǔ Jié | Dragon Boat Festival (5th day of the 5th lunar month) | HSK 6 |
| 争端 | zhēngduān | dispute; controversy | HSK 7-9 |
| 尖端 | jiānduān | sharp pointed end; the tip | HSK 7-9 |
| 端正 | duānzhèng | upright; regular | HSK 7-9 |
| 弊端 | bìduān | systemic problem (sometimes refers specifically to corrupt practices) | HSK 7-9 |
| 开端 | kāiduān | start; beginning | |
| 顶端 | dǐngduān | summit; peak | |
| 终端 | zhōngduān | end; terminal | |
| 事端 | shìduān | disturbance; incident | |
| 高端 | gāoduān | high-end | |
| 末端 | mòduān | tip; extremity | |
| 云端 | yúnduān | high in the clouds; (computing) the cloud | |
| 端庄 | duānzhuāng | dignified; composed |
端 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 端
How many strokes are in 端?
端 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 端 mean?
端 (duān) means (bound form) tip; end; extremity; (bound form) aspect; facet; (bound form) upright; proper. A common word with it is 极端 (jíduān), meaning "extreme".
How do you pronounce 端?
端 is pronounced duān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 端?
The radical of 端 is 立, which carries the idea of "to stand". Dictionaries list 端 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 端?
The traditional form of 端 is 耑. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 端 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 端 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 端 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 端 and 拿 when talking about carrying things?
拿 (ná) is a general word for holding or taking something. 端 specifically means carrying something level with both hands, usually so it does not spill, such as food, drinks, or a tray.
Why is the Dragon Boat Festival called 端午节?
In 端午节 (Duānwǔ Jié), 端 carries its sense of beginning. The name refers to an early day of the fifth month, and the festival falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.