陳 meaning and stroke order
To display, to exhibit; to plead; surname
How to write 陳, stroke by stroke
10 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 陳
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to lay out; to exhibit; to display
- (bound form) to narrate; to state; to explain; to tell
- old; stale
How 陳 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To place 阝 facing east 東.
Radical: 阝 (place), shared by 160 characters on this site.
How to remember 陳
陳 is made of 阝 (a mound or hill) and 東 (dōng, east). The etymology hint says to place something on a mound facing east, so picture goods laid out on a raised spot in the morning sun for everyone to see. That is the idea of displaying, and also of setting out your words to explain.
陳 rarely stands alone except as a surname. It mostly appears in words about displaying (陳列), stating (陳述), or things that are old (陳舊, 陳年). Example: 他向法官陳述了事實。(Tā xiàng fǎguān chénshù le shìshí.) He stated the facts to the judge.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 陳 with 東 (dōng) or with 練 (liàn), since they share the 東 shape on the right. Remember that 陳 has the 阝 on the left and is read chén with a rising second tone.
Common words with 陳
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 陳述 | chénshù | to state; to declare | HSK 7-9 |
| 新陳代謝 | xīnchén-dàixiè | metabolism (biology); the new replaces the old (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 陳舊 | chénjiù | old-fashioned; out of date; obsolete; antiquated | HSK 7-9 |
| 陳列 | chénliè | to display; to exhibit | HSK 7-9 |
| 陳年 | chénnián | (of wine) aged; (of debts etc) old; longstanding | |
| 陳詞濫調 | chéncílàndiào | cliché; commonplace | |
| 陳詞 | chéncí | (formal) to state one's views (esp. in court); stale rhetoric; clichéd remarks |
Questions about 陳
How many strokes are in 陳?
陳 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 陳 mean?
陳 (chén) means to display, to exhibit; to plead; surname. A common word with it is 陈述 (chénshù), meaning "to state; to declare".
How do you pronounce 陳?
陳 is pronounced chén, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 陳?
The radical of 陳 is 阝, which carries the idea of "place". Dictionaries list 陳 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 陳?
陳 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 陈, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why do the words using 陳 mean both 'display' and 'old'?
陳 covers both senses. Things that have been laid out or stored for a long time become old, so words like 陳年 (chénnián) mean aged, while 陳列 (chénliè) keeps the meaning of display.
Is 陳 a common surname?
Yes. 陳 (Chén) is one of the most common Chinese surnames, especially in southern China, Taiwan, and overseas communities. In Cantonese it is often romanized as Chan, and in Hokkien as Tan.