蹒 meaning and stroke order
To stagger, to limp
How to write 蹒, 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 蹒
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- used in 蹣跚|蹒跚[pan2 shan1]
- Taiwan pr. [man2]
How 蹒 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Foot.
足 gives the meaning and 㒼 hints at the sound.
Radical: 足 (foot), shared by 119 characters on this site.
How to remember 蹒
The foot 足 on the left tells you this is about walking. On the right, picture feet tangled in grass 艹 while carrying two 两 loads, so you stagger along.
蹒 (pán) almost never appears alone. It lives inside the word 蹒跚 (pánshān), which describes slow, unsteady walking, like a toddler, an elderly person, or someone injured. Example: 老人蹒跚地走过马路。(Lǎorén pánshān de zǒuguò mǎlù.) The old man hobbled across the road.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as 满 (mǎn) without the water radical and mix up the two, but 蹒 uses 足 because it is about feet. Also note the tone: mainland Chinese says pán (second tone), while Taiwan says mán.
Common words with 蹒
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 蹒跚 | pánshān | to walk unsteadily; to stagger; to lurch; to hobble; to totter |
Questions about 蹒
How many strokes are in 蹒?
蹒 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 蹒 mean?
蹒 (pán) means to stagger, to limp. A common word with it is 蹒跚 (pánshān), meaning "to walk unsteadily; to stagger; to lurch; to hobble; to totter".
How do you pronounce 蹒?
蹒 is pronounced pán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 蹒?
The radical of 蹒 is 足, which carries the idea of "foot". Dictionaries list 蹒 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 蹒?
The traditional form of 蹒 is 蹣. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 蹒 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
How is 蹒跚 used in a sentence?
It usually works as an adverb with 地, as in 蹒跚地走 (walk unsteadily). It can also directly describe a walk, as in 步履蹒跚 (bùlǚ pánshān), meaning to walk with faltering steps.
Can 蹒跚 be used figuratively?
Yes. It can describe slow, struggling progress, for example an economy or project that moves forward haltingly. In writing you may see 蹒跚前行 (pánshān qiánxíng), to stumble forward.