贯 meaning and stroke order
To pierce, to string up; a string of 1000 coins
How to write 贯, stroke by stroke
8 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 贯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to pierce through
- to pass through
- to be stringed together
- string of 1000 cash
How 贯 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Money.
贝 gives the meaning and 毌 hints at the sound.
Radical: 贝 (sea shell), shared by 63 characters on this site.
How to remember 贯
The top part 毌 (guàn) gives the sound and looks like a rod piercing through objects, and the bottom 贝 (bèi) means shell or money. Picture a rod threaded through a stack of coins: a string of money, pierced all the way through.
Today 贯 mostly appears in words about passing through or staying consistent, such as 贯穿 (guànchuān), 贯彻 (guànchè), and 一贯 (yīguàn). The coin meaning is mostly historical. Example: 他一贯很认真。(Tā yīguàn hěn rènzhēn.) He is always serious and conscientious.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 贯 with 惯 (guàn, habit) because they sound identical. 习惯 (xíguàn) uses 惯 with the heart radical 忄, while 一贯 and 贯彻 use 贯 without it.
Common words with 贯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一贯 | yīguàn | consistent; constant | HSK 6 |
| 贯穿 | guànchuān | to run through; a connecting thread from beginning to end | HSK 7-9 |
| 贯彻 | guànchè | to implement; to put into practice | HSK 7-9 |
| 贯通 | guàntōng | to link up; to thread together | HSK 7-9 |
| 全神贯注 | quánshénguànzhù | (idiom) to concentrate one's attention completely; with rapt attention |
贯 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 贯
Learning 贯 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 贯
How many strokes are in 贯?
贯 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 贯 mean?
贯 (guàn) means to pierce, to string up; a string of 1000 coins. A common word with it is 一贯 (yīguàn), meaning "consistent; constant".
How do you pronounce 贯?
贯 is pronounced guàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 贯?
The radical of 贯 is 贝, which carries the idea of "sea shell". Dictionaries list 贯 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 贯?
The traditional form of 贯 is 貫. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 贯 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 贯 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 贯 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 贯彻 and 贯穿?
贯彻 (guànchè) means to carry out a policy, spirit, or plan fully, as in 贯彻政策. 贯穿 (guànchuān) means to run through something from start to finish, like a theme running through a book.
What does 全神贯注 literally mean?
It literally means the whole spirit is poured and focused into one thing. It describes total concentration, for example 他全神贯注地看书 (tā quánshénguànzhù de kàn shū), he reads with complete focus.