闪 meaning and stroke order
To dodge; to duck out of the way; to beat it
How to write 闪, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 闪
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to dodge
- to duck out of the way
- to beat it
- shaken (by a fall)
- to sprain
- to pull a muscle
How 闪 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A man 人 just glimpsed through a door 门.
Radical: 门 (gate), shared by 47 characters on this site.
How to remember 闪
Picture a person 人 (rén) caught for just an instant inside a doorway 门 (mén) before they vanish. That quick glimpse is 闪 (shǎn): a flash, or someone darting out of sight.
闪 covers both quick light and quick movement, so you see it in words like 闪电 (shǎndiàn, lightning) and 闪开 (shǎnkāi, get out of the way). It also means to sprain or pull a muscle, as in 闪了腰 (shǎn le yāo). Example: 快闪开，车来了。(Kuài shǎnkāi, chē lái le.) Move aside quickly, a car is coming.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 闪 with 问 (wèn, to ask), because both put something inside 门. In 问 the inside part is 口 (a mouth), and in 闪 it is 人 (a person).
Common words with 闪
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 闪电 | shǎndiàn | lightning | HSK 4 |
| 闪烁 | shǎnshuò | to glisten; to glitter; to twinkle; to flicker; to be evasive; to equivocate | HSK 7-9 |
| 闪开 | shǎnkāi | to get out of the way | |
| 闪耀 | shǎnyào | to glint; to glitter | |
| 闪亮 | shǎnliàng | brilliant; shiny | |
| 闪光 | shǎnguāng | flash | |
| 闪人 | shǎnrén | (coll.) to beat it; to take French leave | |
| 闪光灯 | shǎnguāngdēng | flash bulb (photography) | |
| 闪过 | shǎnguò | to flash through (one's mind); to dodge (away from pursuers) | |
| 闪闪 | shǎnshǎn | flickering; sparkling; glistening; glittering | |
| 闪现 | shǎnxiàn | to flash | |
| 闪失 | shǎnshī | mishap; accident | |
| 闪避 | shǎnbì | to dodge; to sidestep |
闪 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 闪
How many strokes are in 闪?
闪 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 闪 mean?
闪 (shǎn) means to dodge; to duck out of the way; to beat it. A common word with it is 闪电 (shǎndiàn), meaning "lightning".
How do you pronounce 闪?
闪 is pronounced shǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 闪?
The radical of 闪 is 门, which carries the idea of "gate". Dictionaries list 闪 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 闪?
The traditional form of 闪 is 閃. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 闪 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 闪 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 闪 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What does 闪人 mean in casual Chinese?
闪人 (shǎnrén) is slang for leaving quickly, like saying "I'm out" or "let's bounce." For example, 我先闪人了 (wǒ xiān shǎnrén le) means "I'm heading off first."
What is the difference between 闪烁 and 闪耀?
闪烁 (shǎnshuò) suggests flickering or twinkling on and off, like stars or a weak light, and it can also mean being evasive in speech. 闪耀 (shǎnyào) describes a strong, bright shine and is often used figuratively for something glorious.