繁 meaning and stroke order
Complex, difficult; many, diverse
How to write 繁, stroke by stroke
17 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 繁
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- complicated
- many
- in great numbers
- abbr. for 繁體|繁体[fan2 ti3], traditional form of Chinese characters
- old variant of 繁[fan2]
How 繁 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Silk.
糸 gives the meaning and 敏 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糸 (silk), shared by 27 characters on this site.
How to remember 繁
繁 (fán) puts 敏 (mǐn, quick) on top of 糸 (silk thread). Picture quick hands working with so many silk threads that the pattern becomes complex and crowded.
繁 mostly appears in two-character words about abundance, busyness, or complexity, such as 繁荣 (fánróng), 繁忙 (fánmáng), and 频繁 (pínfán). Example: 这个城市很繁华。(Zhège chéngshì hěn fánhuá.) This city is very bustling.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top part as 每 (měi) alone and forget the 攵 on the right side of 敏. Also, 繁 is rarely used alone for "many" in speech. Say 很多 (hěn duō) instead of 很繁.
Common words with 繁
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 繁荣 | fánróng | prosperous; booming | HSK 5 |
| 频繁 | pínfán | frequently; often | HSK 5 |
| 繁殖 | fánzhí | to breed; to reproduce | HSK 6 |
| 繁忙 | fánmáng | busy; bustling | HSK 7-9 |
| 繁华 | fánhuá | flourishing; bustling | HSK 7-9 |
| 繁重 | fánzhòng | heavy; burdensome | HSK 7-9 |
| 繁体字 | fántǐzì | traditional Chinese character | HSK 7-9 |
| 繁衍 | fányǎn | to multiply; to reproduce | |
| 繁星 | fánxīng | many stars; a vast sky full of stars | |
| 繁体 | fántǐ | traditional form of Chinese, as opposed to simplified form 簡體|简体[jian3 ti3] |
繁 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 繁
How many strokes are in 繁?
繁 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 繁 mean?
繁 (fán) means complex, difficult; many, diverse. A common word with it is 繁荣 (fánróng), meaning "prosperous; booming".
How do you pronounce 繁?
繁 is pronounced fán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 繁?
The radical of 繁 is 糸, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 繁 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 繁?
The traditional form of 繁 is 緐. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 繁 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 繁 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 繁 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 繁 mean when people say 繁 and 简 about Chinese characters?
繁 is short for 繁体 (fántǐ), traditional characters, and 简 is short for 简体 (jiǎntǐ), simplified characters. You may see a button labeled 繁 on websites that switches the text to traditional script.
What is the difference between 繁荣 and 繁华?
繁荣 (fánróng) describes economic or social prosperity, like a booming economy. 繁华 (fánhuá) describes a place that is lively and full of shops, lights, and people, like a busy downtown street.